I have been reading stories of "rich" people who want to pay more taxes. Kind of goes along with Buffet earlier in the year, and I think there have been a few others. Well I see them preach that they want to pay more, and that the rich should pay more, but I have yet to see any of them volunteer to pay more. Or to send in what they feel they owe or should pay, why is that? Why can't they practice what they preach? If they feel so strongly that sending more in is the answer why do they not lead by example? I can not figure out what is stopping them. When I feel something is important, and I preach about it I try and dowhat I preach so people can see that it works and that i'm willing to follow the rules I want set. Shouldn't these "leaders" do the same?

You can't just mail money to the government. Their point was that everyone in their tax bracket should pay more, and that the rules should be tightened to prevent tax avoidance.

you can, and people do.

Gifts to the United States
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Credit Accounting Branch
3700 East-West Highway, Room 6D37
Hyattsville, MD 20782

Yes they do want everyone to pay more in their brackets. but if they truelly felt that they should pay more, why dont they pave the way not just with words, but with actions. why dont they part with their money to show the rest of the rich they mean what they say and to shame them into doing it too? Why only act with words?

I know it would mean more if instead of saying i will pay more if you pay more to just pay more and than ask why dont you follow my lead.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/04/23/if-warren-buffett-wants-to-pay-more-taxes-why-doesnt-warren-buffett-just-pay-more-taxes/  I didn't read the whole article but its my source for the address and it talks about what i'm talking about.

Oh ok

I remember watching an interview with a Republican banking executive after the Bush tax refunds for the wealthy. He had served in the Reagan administration as a financial advisor. However, he was totally puzzled with the new tax laws. He was getting a check back from the government, which needed money, for a few thousand dollars, which amounted to pocket money for him. It was too little to actually do anything with. Ordinarily, he would just put it back in his checking account, but the point of the interview was that he, and many other wealthy Americans who weren't looking for tax breaks, decided to donate their refunds to charity.

 I've seen several polls where the majority of millionaires asked were receptive to having their taxes raised but I'm sure they want it to be fair. If they're going to do their part then I'm sure they think others in their bracket should do the same.

I would never voluntarily give a single cent to my government, so long as they keep forcibly taking what they want anyways.

Are you talking about "The Giving Pledge"? Because these billionaires only promised to give half their fortune to charity, but not necessarily while they are still alive.

Anyway, it's not like these people are thinking: "Oh shit, I just realized I got way too much money! Just how can I get rid of it?!? I wonder if the government would be willing to take some..."
Instead, I believe these people seriously feel that the ever-growing national debt is a huge problem, and that the super-rich could easily give more money, which would reduce the problem.

But if just a handful of rich people would silently give some money, the effect would be very small though. So instead they try to spread the word and make this something bigger than just a handful of people donating some of their money.

I think it's a similar motivation when rich people double the money to charity projects - I don't know if this is something popular all over the world, but I've often read about charity projects where some anonymous rich person announces that he will double the money that all others donate. That way, the rich person encourages the others to spend more money, because it feels a bit like donating twice as much than you actually did.

So I'd say the reason is that their motivation is simply not to give away money, but a certain aim they want to achieve with the help of others.

Warren Buffet does.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/46103952/Warren_Buffett_Offers_Millions_in_Deficit_Donations_If

Warren Buffett ups the ante with an offer to donate millions of dollars to help reduce the nation's deficit .. 15 percent of his annual income .. if at least 50 Capitol Hill lawmakers do the same.

Previously Buffett had offered a one-for-one match of any debt donations made by Republican members of Congress, with a three-for-one match for any money Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell voluntarily sent to the Treasury.

One Republican, Rep. Scott Rigell of Virginia was already donating 15 percent of his Congressional salary toward national debt reduction, and an "impressed" and "delighted" Buffett will be writing a check for just over $49,000 to match Rigell's 2011 and 2012 donations.

thats my point. he will only do it if others do it first. if he feels it the best idea why does he not lead by example and just donate the money to the government?

@Signalstar great find

just because you preach, doesn't mean you have to practice. it's all about....... well will you look at that. i'm in a political thread.

look, republicans mean well????????llllllllllol hold on let me start over. i don't want to get caut lieing for the republicans

i can't seem to say this in a way that makes republicans look incompetent. in washington, it's all about votes and getting the upper hand, for all politicians, but mainly these days republi-can'ts.

they'll continue to blame the other side just for votes, but this time republicans aren't doing anything for their constituents. their just sticking to the party line. you know, the typical republican agenda.

snakes with 2 tongues tells 2stories. one to your face, and the other behind your back. neither story will be the truth, but you like wht you hear and if they can sense they've done that, then they've done their job, and now they can strick nowing the time is right, pulling a veil over your eyes.