Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Rich Man Poor Man

I know it's a little late but I'll comment on the Clintons' newfound wealth.

I found the commentary from the usual suspects odd. The right is up in arms that a liberal couple would dare make money. See, see they are hypocrites screams talk radio. Well I disagree. They aren't hypocrites, they are...well...liberals. Liberals, as much as I disagree with them, never say making money is inherently wrong. Their argument is make money, but send a whole shitload of it to the IRS when you're done. And in that aspect the Clintons did just what they preach. They made $110M and paid $35M in federal taxes. Had they they only paid $500,000 in taxes and used all sorts of loopholes and offshore accounts to avoid taxes, then that would have been hypocritical.

Yet the very people who champion capitalism and champion wealth creation are up in arms that Bill and Hill took part in the game. They broke now laws to make this money. If someone is stupid enough to pay $35 to read Bill's memoirs or if a company wants to pay him $250K for a 20 minute speech...who am I to criticize? That's American capitalism at its best. Find a sucker or two to give you money for doing absolutely nothing and have him walk away a happy customer. Bravo Bill and Hill, I salute you both.

What is very hypocritical is the way the MSM is treating this story. When Reagan and Bush gave a couple of speeches after leaving office the MSM went nuts. When Cheney made a couple of bucks at Haliburton, well you know. But Hill and Bill make $100 cool million and it's hey isn't that great in the NY Times.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The book deals and speeches are bribes or pre-payoffs. If Bill Clinton had just retired and wrote a book, ok. His wife could be the next president and Bill is being bought for influence. Or at the very least buying influence for a senator.