An Open Letter To Warren Buffett!

I'm a strong believer in the seven degrees of separation, where the theory that everyone has contacts that within seven of those contacts there is a connection to anyone. So with that in mind I'm composing an open letter to Mr. Warren Buffett in the hopes that our readership will see to it that it crosses his desk for consideration.


Mr. Buffett;
It has come to my attention your a vocal proponent of the tax increases for the wealthy. Here's my problem, Washington has an addiction to spending. If one of my family members acquired the habit of writing checks on an account they had no money in, the solution for me would be to take away the pen and the checks, not deposit more money in the account. I also refer you to the Declaration of Independence, where our founding fathers stated, "All men are created equal," and the proclamation engraved upon the Supreme Court building that states, "Equal justice under the law." That cannot apply and is in direct conflict with the intentions of the principles our great nation was based upon, if we tax people at different rates. It discriminates upon the basis of your degree of success and creates a division of class, not unlike the caste system of India. That is not how America was founded.

My solution to the tax increases is for you to keep your tax increase money. Your already a massively successful entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the definition of capitalism. I propose you take the additional income you'd have paid in the tax increase and form a charity. Hire an out of work CEO and a minimal staff to oversee the distribution of the funds to provide health care insurance for those who have preexisting conditions and cannot afford to pay the extravagant fees. The new charity, after vetting the applicants to ensure there is no fraud, could make up the difference the troubled insured might pay for standard health care and the additional required to keep them in coverage. Thereby solving the need for employment, providing coverage for those less fortunate, reducing the need for government resources, (lowering the need for tax increases), and keeping charity in the hands of the people. You could also hire staff to solicit donations from others in the top 1% bracket to form more job creating charities, relieving more of the government's burden, in lieu of donating much needed capital to a financially irresponsible federal bureaucracy.

This will allow the government to focus on their job description, and keeping them from straying into social issues that charities can handle more efficiently. There is no end to the good the top 5% income bracket can do if they'd devote the additional tax revenues toward staffing and funding charitable ventures. After all, don't they exude success in other ventures already? I realize you already do so much for charity, by why limit yourself, and why feed Washington's addiction? You can put a dent in unemployment, provide a fraud free environment for change, and most importantly add the title of "my hero" to your already impressive resume'.

It's hard to put a finger on your already massive tax burden, the figures are all over the board. I did see one report that placed your personal tax liability in 2006 @ $48.1 million or 19% of your personal income, and Berkshire Hathaway donated $1.9 billion, 26% of their gross to the IRS. The difference in that and the proposed 39% rate would allow for a serious dent to be placed in a social need. This is the kind of "outside the box" thinking that made you successful and America great.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill