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[...]and in fact he can donate even more if he would like. [...]

Uhhh... You could donate more too. In fact, everyone could donate 100% of their income and the public debt would be no more very quickly.

That you base so much on rich people being generous to fund someone elses healthcare, education, etc tells me your system is inherently broken. Or at least if you want to be seen as a humane society. If you want to be seen as a "winner-gets-all" society, you have pretty much already nailed it down.

If you look at my original post from actual taxpayer data, you will see that the top 1% pay around 27% effective income tax rate; well above any other group of people (for example, the bottom 50% average around 3.5%). As far as Warren Buffet, Buffet does NOT have to take every tax deduction he is legally entitled to, and in fact he can donate even more if he would like. Additionally capital gains are taxed up to 20% rate, so not too much lower than the average income tax rate for the top 1% (who pay a typical income tax rate around 27%).

And I am sure it will be a very significant tax hit, which I will duly pony up

You do know, you can already "pony up" whatever you wish to help others directly or via a charity of your choice? And if you don't think, private efforts can do it, the US Treasury would gladly accept your voluntary contribution too.

But that's just not good enough for you, is it? "Voluntary" is for wussies, right? Like a good Collectivist — with an internal Authoritarian screaming to get out — you want to see other people compelled into doing the same.

Because fuck them, the greedy selfish cunts — whoever does not want to help others, ought to be forced to help others. Did I get the gist of your world-view correctly, uhm? I bet, I did...

True, to a point. However, when uber wealthy people get taxed substantially more highly, they are still left with a few billion dollars of discretionary assets so higher income taxes have comparatively little impact on them - perhaps they only have $20 billion to give away, not $40 billion (which might actually make their lives easier). The same can not be said of the middle/upper-middle class taxpayer.

A combined marginal 70% income tax rate on Zuckerberg would have little impact on his personal life with regard to living expenses (food, housing, transportation, etc) for him and his family even if he has quite high standards for each. He still would never need to, for financial reasons, wash his own car, clean his own toilet, cook his own dinner, paint his own hallway, forgo medical care, stay at a Motel 6, or work another day in his life except for the fun of it.

On the other hand, a combined marginal 35% income tax on a couple having a taxable income of $200K a year (somewhat below the burden that a California taxpayer would bear) is likely to feel in very measurable ways the impact of the taxes or any increase in them on their personal life. Both spouses may find it necessary to continue working because of the tax burden. They may find it necessary to retire later because they have less savings. They may not be able to help their kids as much with college expenses. They may not be able to afford a housekeeper so have to do their own housework at the expense of not having as much time to further their own education and earning power. The list is endless.

I don't begrudge uber rich Americans (like Gates $81B per Forbes in 2016, Bezos $67B, Buffett $65.5B, Zuckerberg $55.5B, Ellison $49.3B). I also have no problem if they are talking about raising marginal tax rates on the highest income levels to the point that such taxation would actually affect their everyday personal life. However, I don't think their opinion means much when it comes to what will inevitably result in middle class tax increases. All of these individuals are completely free to donate money to the federal government. For example, to reduce the public debt, here's where one can contribute, however given the fairly paltry sums collected this way, it's obvious that none of these uber wealthy people contribute a significant amount of their resources via this route.

It is interesting that Zuckerberg exploits (legally) strategies explicitly to minimize his and/or his heirs income taxes (such as via Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts) - if he's in favor of increased government spending and hence higher taxes, the question is why does he do this?

Whatever. Are they trying to fend off higher taxes by proposing a tax plan in advance that has a lower tax rate? If they were really feeling guilty about all of that money, they could have donated it somewhere or helped a government somewhere pay off its debt. There seems to be a nice form here where these folks can donate trillions if they so wish, get that guilt off of their backs.

They don't have to do it on the tax form.

They can always write a check to the treasury or donate online to help reduce the debt.

https://www.pay.gov/paygov/forms/formInstance.html?agencyFormId=23779454

Put your money where your mouth is and donate to the IRS.

Since you don't pay enough, here is your opportunity to pay what you feel you owe.

Go ahead, I'll wait.

You are volunteering to pay it, right? Or maybe you want someone else to pay it.

https://www.pay.gov/paygov/alphabeticSearchAgencies.html?nc=1301889252475&alphabet=E

Check this link out. Of all the fucking departments of the Government, we can't donate to Education?

Education? You mean that kind of crap that makes people think? They don't need it to buy and consume... actually quite the contrary. And everybody knows by now: if you don't consume, jobs are lost, the stock market drops, the music/movie piracy and other crimes are rising, etc. Are you trying to get to a point in which the Homeland security and TSA don't have enough money (are you siding with the terrorists)?

(GRIN)

https://www.pay.gov/paygov/alphabeticSearchAgencies.html?nc=1301889252475&alphabet=E

  Check this link out. Of all the fucking departments of the Government, we can't donate to Education?

But of all departments of our government, Department of Education should flat out be available for donations.

Sadly, that's not a joke.

Gotta wonder how many people who think taxes are too low actually volunteer their own cash to help fix the "problem" of the US government "not having enough money".

I'm thinking it's, oooh, about, say, ZERO.

Sadly, that's not a joke.

If the debt is gone, it means the dollar purchases at least 14% more than it does currently.
You can do your part at this site.
That'd be equivalent of dropping gas prices to $2.83/gal from $3.30.

Until Congress is running a surplus, it's likely throwing good money after bad.
It is possible to open a foreign bank account with direct deposit.