Leslie and Libby on ...How to Pay More Taxes

Leslie S. Lebl says:

OK, so Warren Buffett and Matt Damon want to pay more taxes, but mean-spirited Republicans won't let them. Surely those legions of Washington-savvy politicians can find a solution. What about ...

He wants to pay more taxes. Huzzah!

You know that line on your income tax return asking if you'd like to donate $3.00 to the presidential election campaign fund? Well, how much would it cost for the IRS to add a line: "check here if you, or your spouse if filing jointly, want $1,000,000 to go to fund programs Republicans hate"? In fact, why stop there? Why not offer options, like the typical fund-raising letter, in this case for up to $10,000,000?

If you're thinking, oh no, that would require Congressional approval, just remember how creative the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Labor Relations Board have become. They've shown the way; now it's time for the IRS to fall in line.

Just think how much happier all those millionaires and billionaires would be!

Libby Sternberg says:

He wants to pay more taxes. Huzzah!

I have to agree with my fellow traveler Leslie here. But while she makes this suggestion in jest, I'd like to make it in all seriousness. I'm getting pretty tired of hearing rich people complain about not paying enough taxes.

First of all, if they want to pay more, they already can. So, listen up, rich people. Put your ear very, very close to the screen because I'm going to whisper this information so no one else will know. Are you close enough now? Can you still hear me?

YOU CAN WRITE CHECKS TO THE U.S. TREASURY WHENEVER YOU WANT TO. HERE'S THE ADDRESS:

Gifts to the United States
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Credit Accounting Branch
3700 East-West Highway, Room 622D
Hyattsville, MD 20782

Here's a link to how you do the deed: http://www.fms.treas.gov/faq/moretopics_gifts.html

But I think Leslie's on to something with the need to make this process even clearer, more, well, "transparent."

I think Republicans should expedite legislation that requires the IRS to print, in 18-point Times New Roman, boldface italic, the following message at the top of each tax form:

IF YOU WANT TO GIVE MORE TO THE GOVERNMENT, YOU CAN. FILL IN THE AMOUNT BELOW, AND WRITE THE CHECK.

Bah-dah-bing-bah-dah-boom. Done.

I don't know about you, but I'm not holding my breath waiting for checks from Messrs. Damon, Buffett, Zuckerberg, et al to start rolling in.