Rich Germans demand higher taxes

[Netto Azure]

Rich Germans demand higher taxes

Germany could raise 100bn euros with the wealth tax, say the petitioners​

A group of rich Germans has launched a petition calling for the government to make wealthy people pay higher taxes.
The group say they have more money than they need, and the extra revenue could fund economic and social programmes to aid Germany's economic recovery.
Germany could raise 100bn euros (£91bn) if the richest people paid a 5% wealth tax for two years, they say.
The petition has 44 signatories so far, and will be presented to newly re-elected Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The group say the financial crisis is leading to an increase in unemployment, poverty and social inequality.
Simply donating money to deal with the problems is not enough, they want a change in the whole approach.
"The path out of the crisis must be paved with massive investment in ecology, education and social justice," they say in the petition.
Those who had "made a fortune through inheritance, hard work, hard-working, successful entrepreneurship, or investment" should contribute by paying more to alleviate the crisis.
The man behind the petition, Dieter Lehmkuhl, told Berlin's Tagesspiegel that there were 2.2 million people in Germany with a fortune of more than 500,000 euros.
If they all paid the tax for two years, Germany could raise 100bn euros to fund ecological programmes, education and social projects, said the retired doctor and heir to a brewery.
Signatory Peter Vollmer told AFP news agency he was supporting the proposal because he had inherited "a lot of money I do not need".
He said the tax would be "a viable and socially acceptable way out of the flagrant budget crisis".
The group held a demonstration in Berlin on Wednesday to draw attention to their plans, throwing fake banknotes into the air.
Mr Vollmer said it was "really strange that so few people came".

I really chuckled when I read this. And duh, of course few people would want higher taxes. We're all a bunch of people who want to have it both ways, Low taxes AND strong social-safety nets. Hence the whole California budget crisis.

Thumbs up to them who have the guts to do this.

 

[hurristat]

I absolutely love Germany.

 

[I Started A Cult]

And yet another good thing to come out of Germany.

 

[Misty]

Good for them if they want to contribute to the government; they should send the money themselves, not ask for a tax that I'm sure many other rich Germans don't want.

 

[Every Breaking Wave]

Now why can't America be more like this.

 

[ferrari-kun187]

Now THIS I didn't expect. Why can't our country do this? It would be nice for the healthcare package thing to be settled with high wealth taxes.

 

[Big Lutz]

Now THIS I didn't expect. Why can't our country do this? It would be nice for the healthcare package thing to be settled with high wealth taxes.

Now why can't America be more like this.

Because we would like to get below 10% unemployment some time in the next decade?

I am sure you can find some useful idiots in the United States that would support such a tax. But all it would do is encourage tax lawyers to find more loop holes and tax shelters. And if worse comes to worse they will just hire less employees to make less taxes.

And remember, if worse comes to worse, they will move and you will get no taxes, as seen in Britain

 

[Glaciachan]

Wow, go Germans!

 

[Destry]

Germany never ceases to amaze me. I was thinking about it the other day. People who are really rich can't possibly have a use for all of that money-- doesn't matter how many luxurious things you buy. Filthy rich is filthy rich. That there are some so wealthy willing to help their country out of their own pocket is amazing. I think this should be implemented in other countries as well.

And yeah, I'll echo the statement about America's 10%+ unemployment rate. We have so many problems, it's hard to think about something like that. Though it would be nice if we did that. ... I also feel like people are greedier here anyhow.

 

[Every Breaking Wave]

Because we would like to get below 10% unemployment some time in the next decade?

I am sure you can find some useful idiots in the United States that would support such a tax. But all it would do is encourage tax lawyers to find more loop holes and tax shelters. And if worse comes to worse they will just hire less employees to make less taxes.

And remember, if worse comes to worse, they will move and you will get no taxes, as seen in Britain

Somehow I don't think the richest of the rich need to worry about being unemployed

 

[Big Lutz]

Somehow I don't think the richest of the rich need to worry about being unemployed

No, but the businesses they run and invest their money in need to worry about hiring new employees. But I have a feeling you already knew that.

I mean above all we do want these people to invest their money in businesses right now right? We do want them to take risks and give money to companies and small businesses so that they can hire more people? Or do we want to have them invest it in tax shelters?

 

[Metalwario64]

Because we would like to get below 10% unemployment some time in the next decade?

Actually, that would be an argument for turning down an $800 Billion tax break to the top 1% of wealth...

No, but the businesses they run and invest their money in need to worry about hiring new employees. But I have a feeling you already knew that.

Wait, so if we "tax" the rich, then they won't be able to hire new employees? I fail to see the logic in that...

But of course I am an idiot according to your "logic."

 

[Big Lutz]

Actually, that would be an argument for turning down an $800 Billion tax break to the top 1% of wealth...

I assume you are talking about the Bush Tax Cuts? Although your numbers do not add up really. It's pretty stupid to get into that if, that is what you are suggesting since it has nothing to do with the thread. But I will point out we went from 6.3% Unemployment when the commentators were saying we were in a Jobless Recovery in 2003 to 4.6% Unemployment just three years later. So if you want to argue that massive tax breaks only increase unemployment, well, that is for another thread.

Wait, so if we "tax" the rich, then they won't be able to hire new employees? I fail to see the logic in that...

We tax the rich and the money that they would be putting toward hiring new employees either goes into tax shelters, or as seen in Britain, they just move out of the country. Instead of investing it in their business or in other small businesses.

But of course I am an idiot according to your "logic."

Yeah... don't watch Glenn Beck, but if you want to call yourself a idiot, I wont stop you.

 

[Metalwario64]

I assume you are talking about the Bush Tax Cuts? Although your numbers do not add up really. It's pretty stupid to get into that if, that is what you are suggesting since it has nothing to do with the thread. But I will point out we went from 6.3% Unemployment when the commentators were saying we were in a Jobless Recovery in 2003 to 4.6% Unemployment just three years later. So if you want to argue that massive tax breaks only increase unemployment, well, that is for another thread.

It's relevant in that people were mentioning how "taxing" the rich would help pay for health care, and you said that it would "increase unemployment." My point is that if they hadn't gotten that massive tax cut, then that would cover the Public Option, which will only cost just over $800 Billion.

I don't see how giving back what they didn't even need to begin with would increase unemployment.

We tax the rich and the money that they would be putting toward hiring new employees either goes into tax shelters, or as seen in Britain, they just move out of the country. Instead of investing it in their business or in other small businesses.

You mean the money that they pocketed?

Yeah... don't watch Glenn Beck, but if you want to call yourself a idiot, I wont stop you.

...Uh...

 

[Big Lutz]

It's relevant in that people were mentioning how "taxing" the rich would help pay for health care, and you said that it would "increase unemployment." My point is that if they hadn't gotten that massive tax cut, then that would cover the Public Option, which will only cost just over $800 Billion.

Except you are under the mistaken belief that the Government would have been able to collect all of that $800 Billion in the taxes in the first place. Not to mention this thread isn't about the public option nor tax cuts. Or that a Public Option would even be able to keep the bill under 800 billion, right now the figure is closing in on 1 Trillion +. My point was any tax increases are going to hurt investment and there by hurt unemployment.

I don't see how giving back what they didn't even need to begin with would increase unemployment.

Because by taking it now, you are only going to have them draw shut their wallets again and look for ways to avoid paying that taxes. That is why even Barack Obama was smart enough to say that he was going to look at the economy before repealing the Bush Tax Cut last year.

You mean the money that they pocketed?

Money they rightfully own, money they pocketed, what ever you want to call it.

 

[Every Breaking Wave]

So in other words, Big Lutz, these rich Germans want to be taxed so that they can move out of the country? That's logical...

 

[Big Lutz]

So in other words, Big Lutz, these rich Germans want to be taxed so that they can move out of the country? That's logical...

Like I said before, you will always find some useful, or in this case useless idiots around. I am sure if we go to Hollywood we could find a group of rich millionaires that believe we are not being taxed enough. Or some group of wealthy Liberals that believe they should pay more in taxes.

Thing is, in a country of 82 Million, that houses 37 of the Fortune Global 500 companies, a grand total of 2.2 million Germans with more than 500,000 Euros, and you have found Forty freaking Four that want to increase the tax? Congrats guys, 1 in every 50,000 wealthy Germans signed this petition.

Hell one of them ( Peter Vollmer in the article ) got his money from inheritance, I don't know the guy, or what his family does, but if Paris Hilton signed a petition for more taxes, would you believe she did it out of her vast economic knowledge?

And really why wait for a tax? In the US like many countries, you can 'donate' to the budget, which is essentially what they are trying to do with this tax. So far in this fiscal year of 2009 the total donation to the US Budget has been... $3,034,539.51

1 in every 50,000... Jeez

 

[Eredar Warlock]

Europe is weird. Not sure why people would want higher taxes - that's less money earned going into Government. If they want to give money to the government, well, then give it themselves instead of forcing a tax.

 

[TTEchidna]

Then what happens when there are no more generous rich people?

You get an issue like there is in the US.

 

[Ethan]

That is a first.