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Is it honest that the world’s richest individuals pay so little in tax? That in a time of maximum inequality, those who have a lot contribute so little in proportion to their huge wealth? These are the questions motivating US Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, who’s been calling for brand new taxes on billionaires.
Is it honest that the democracy I dwell in may need some calls for of me? How can I show that I’m tremendous edgy and completely unfazed by the prospect of paying extra tax? These are the questions apparently motivating Elon Musk, who replied to a tweet from Wyden by asking why the senator appears to be like like he’s simply orgasmed in his profile image.
Why does ur pp appear to be u simply got here?— Lorde Edge (@elonmusk) November 7, 2021
Musk’s crude tweet caps a very attention-grabbing weekend for the world’s richest man, who didn’t appear to get the reply he wished when polling the web on the problem of wealth.
On Saturday, Musk requested his 63 million Twitter followers whether or not or not he ought to promote 10 % of his Tesla inventory. The query is vital, as a result of with out promoting inventory, Musk isn’t really taxed on the primary supply of his huge fortune (he owns round 17 % of Tesla inventory, presently price round $200 billion). That is the state of affairs that Wyden and different politicians wished to vary with a plan to yearly tax unsold property like shares belonging to the USA’ wealthiest residents — round 700 billionaires (although Wyden’s proposals have already been rejected).
As Musk put it in a separate tweet: “I don’t take a money wage or bonus from anyplace. I solely have inventory, thus the one approach for me to pay taxes personally is to promote inventory.”
I’ll abide by the outcomes of this ballot, whichever approach it goes— Lorde Edge (@elonmusk) November 6, 2021
Musk’s Twitter followers had been clear, although: Elon ought to promote his inventory, with 57.9 % of three.5 million contributors voting “sure” on the ballot. In different phrases: Musk ought to be paying extra in tax than he does already. (Curiously, because of how Musk’s Tesla inventory choices are structured, he’s probably due a large tax invoice whatever the end result of any Twitter ballot.)
Musk, who promised to “abide by the outcomes of this ballot, whichever approach it goes,” hasn’t commented immediately on the ballot’s end result. As a substitute, he selected to fireplace off his tweet to Wyden after the senator identified that “whether or not or not the world’s wealthiest man pays any taxes in any respect shouldn’t rely on the outcomes of a Twitter ballot.”
It was this stunning suggestion — that questions of nice public import, like billionaires’ tax charges, is likely to be settled outdoors of Musk’s Twitter feed — that apparently proved an excessive amount of for Elon to bear. Presumably, although, he’s too busy getting ready the required paperwork to observe via on his promise and promote his inventory to provide you with a extra articulate reply.
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