Mr. Warren Buffett

This morning, I read the following headline:

"Billionaire Warren Buffett urged U.S. lawmakers Monday to raise taxes on the country's super-rich to help cut the budget deficit, saying such a move will not hurt investments."

There are 400 billionaires in the US and according to Mr. Buffet, probably paying much less tax than they should. Billions of dollars in tax revenue could be acquired to help offset the debt. I realize that this is just a step towards paying off a very large debt, but it is a step. We have to stop borrowing money and we have to pay off our debt and this is one way of dozens of ways of doing that.

I realize that this is one area of strong disagreement between the parties in office, but when a man of Mr. Buffet’s stature and integrity comes forth and says, “Tax me fairly. Allow me and my fellow billionaires to pay our fair share,” you have to both congratulate him for his courage and veracity and heed the importance of his words. Those governing the House, the Senate, and the White House apparently do not know how to proceed. Those running for office talk big and act like they know what to do but it is too easy to critize others when you are not in their shoes. What someone in public office did in Texas or Iowa or anyplace else has little bearing on what we should do now. Warren Buffet is a billionaire because when it comes to money, he knows what he is doing. He is giving Washington some advice. Take it, Washington. What have you got to lose?

John A. Tamiazzo, PhD is the author of, Returning to the Land of Oz: Finding Hope, Love, and Courage on Your Yellow Brick Road, available at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Barnesandnoble.com, and as an e-Kindle book at Amazon.