Spread the Wealth Around

“When when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody.” Barack Obama

“We want to take money and put it back in the pocket of middle class people… It’s time to be patriotic… It’s time to jump in, it’s time to be part of the deal, it’s time to help get America out of the rut.” Joe Biden

“I think the super-rich should pay more and people in the middle-class and lower should pay less. I think there should be a major overhaul of the payroll tax. I think guys like me should pay more.” Warren Buffett

Lots of big shots like to talk about the need to pay more in taxes. Little shots too.

When Virginia Delegate Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights, set up the “Tax Me More Fund” in 2002, he did it to make a point: Those complaining the most loudly about spending “cuts” in Richmond could put their own money where their mouth was and make a voluntary contribution to the state.

Last year - to supplement a $74 billion 2008-10 biennial state budget – they did just that.

They did?

Total collected: $1,500, according to the Virginia Department of Taxation.

That’s better than pre-recession 2006, when just $19.36 was donated.

Maybe that will deflate the gasbags who say they want to pay more.

No, never mind. Nothing deflates them.