Warren Buffett: Just shut up

Those who read my column regularly know what I think about money collected by the federal government.

Most of it falls into one or more of these categories:

• Money to support evil programs

• Money to support programs that are misguided

• Money that is wasted

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• Money spent on unconstitutional programs

• Money spent to feather the political nests of elected and appointed officials

• Money allocated to promote bigger and more intrusive government

• Money spent paying bankers and foreigners interest on money that should never have been borrowed in the first place

Because of this, I believe every American has a moral obligation to take every legal step he or she can to minimize the amount of taxes paid to Washington.

That's my point of view.

But not everyone agrees.

Warren Buffett, for instance, thinks billionaires like him should be paying more.

So here is my common-sense solution for Buffett: Just shut up and pay as much as you want!

What Buffett really wants is for those who don't agree with him to be forced to pay more. Otherwise, he is free to write the biggest check he can to that vast sinkhole in Washington. I don't think he's going to do it. You don't get to be a billionaire by being stupid.

Instead, Buffett wants to sound compassionate. He wants to be lauded by the joker in the White House. He wants the media falling all over him for how selfless he is.

For heaven's sake, Buffett is free today to hand over all his wealth to Washington any time he wants. I don't see him doing it.

There are many techniques Buffett can use to maximize his tax bill. Instead, what he does is use every technique available to minimize his tax bill. Why?

If he honestly believes he's not paying enough, why doesn't he stop that practice? Why does he need legislation in Congress to cough up as much dough as he believes is his rightful share?

Buffett doesn't want to pay more in taxes. He wants you and me to pay more in taxes.

If he thinks the government is doing a good job with the trillions it collects, he should voluntarily send more.

He doesn't. And he won't. Mark my words on this.

Does anyone in his right mind think the government is a better steward of money than he himself is? I don't think so. I don't think Buffet falls into that category, either.

And that's why no one, to my knowledge, has ever written a check to the federal government offering voluntary payments over and above what is due on tax bill.

I hereby invite all those who want to see Americans taxed more to start by making a commitment to do just that.

Everyone out there who thinks they are undertaxed, there is a simple solution. And, by the way, you will be taken much more seriously if you do this because actions speak louder than words.

I don't know about you, but I am sick and tired of hearing from billionaires suggesting taxes aren't high enough.

Are they just after the attention?

Do they really think it somehow benefits America to have Washington throw more money away on unconstitutional, fraudulent, wasteful, corrupt and immoral programs?

Are they socialists at heart?

Why not just set an example by sending Washington an extra billion or two, Warren?

If you're not going to do that, then you are nothing but a phony and a hypocrite.

Warren Buffett makes business decisions every day that impact how much he pays in taxes. If he can point to even one of those decisions that actually maximized his tax bill, then we should take him seriously. Otherwise, there is no reason to take anything he says seriously. His opinion on taxes should have no more credibility or newsworthiness than what Jimmy "Magaritaville" Buffett thinks.