Peter De Vries Quotes
The rich aren't like us—they pay less taxes.
Peter DeVries, Writer, Quoted in The Washington Post, July 30, 1989
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Reacting to proposals to reduce the capital gains tax:
Two decades later, in 2011, the fact that the very wealthy often paid tax at a much lower rate than the middle class and even some working poor became a major political issue.
His minimum tax proposal was for the income over $10 million was 35%. For income between $1 million and $10 million, it was 30%. At the time, he found that his secretary, everyone who worked in his office, and the waiter who served him lunch, all paid a higher income tax rate than he did. President Obama, in a great struggle with the Republicans who fought to retain the lower tax rates for the wealthy with deductions, was able to terminate the Bush tax cuts for the very rich.
He was one of the richest men in America, who thought that the tax burden on the very wealthy was too low given the needs of the nation and the ability of the wealty to pay..
This became known as the Buffet Principle—that the very rich should not pay a lower tax rate than the workers who make far less money than they do. President Barack Obama used this principle by name in calling for the 2011 Jobs Act which would eliminate some of the loopholes and exemptions by which the rich could avoid some or much or their tax obligation.
Tax Evasion is a felony. Tax avoidance is using legal loopholes to avoid paying taxes. However, as Hightower points out, every time a wealthy individual or corporation legally avoids a tax, the burden to make up for the lost revenue falls on the Middle Class for whom there are few tax loopholes. Also, they cannot afford the high-priced lawyers and accountants to find the schemes to use.
Peter De Vries was an American editor and novelist known for his satiric wit. He has been described by the philosopher Daniel Dennett as "probably the funniest writer on religion ever".
