Warren Buffett, a man fattened by the virtues of capitalism, told the Congress recently that he favored the estate tax, which for the next couple years kicks in at 2 mil per parent. “I think we need to … take a little more out of the hides of guys like me.” It’s rumored that several well-off congressmen fainted after first buttoning their back pocket. But I was not surprised. Of course WB favors the death tax – he’s not going to inherit a nickel from anyone.
His kids? They’re probably keeping a log of his eccentricities, to use in court. Anybody, anywhere, of any means who’s in favor of giving family money to the government is a strong candidate for the looney bin.
I began to lose respect for Buffett the day he gave Bill Gates a multi-billion dollar check – for his foundation. Not a profit-making corporation, the kind that purveyed Windows to the world, but a foundation: a non-profit, non-incentivized factory of sound and fury and press releases.
But on the up side you must credit the great philanthropist for his understanding of the tradeoffs involved in pleas- ing the human palate: proved by his chunk of ownership of Dairy Queen – dubbed DQ by its rotund patrons. DQ makes the best chili dog in this town or any other. They sell for $1.85 each or two for $1.99! Can you believe it? Now that’s the real Warren Buffett making his contribution to society.
