More than 250 billionaires and millionaires on Wednesday reiterated their call on elected representatives of the world’s leading economies to introduce higher taxes on the very richest in society.

In an open letter to political leaders gathered at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the rich signatories said they wished to deliver a clear message: “Tax our extreme wealth.”

“We are surprised that you have failed to answer a simple question that we have been asking for three years: when will you tax extreme wealth?” the letter said.

“Our request is simple: we ask you to tax us, the very richest in society. This will not fundamentally alter our standard of living, nor deprive our children, nor harm our nations’ economic growth. But it will turn extreme and unproductive private wealth into an investment for our common democratic future.”

  • grte@lemmy.ca
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    8 months ago

    This is marketing. If they really wanted this they would lobby for it, the same way they get all their other interests looked after.

    • Zoboomafoo@slrpnk.net
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      8 months ago

      lob·by: seek to influence (a politician or public official) on an issue.

      How isn’t this lobbying?

      • grte@lemmy.ca
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        8 months ago

        Not the dictionary definition of lobby, but the colloquial sense where it’s a synonym for bribery.

          • crusa187@lemmy.ml
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            8 months ago

            Not sure why you’re being downvoted. We literally have a system of legalized bribery in the US. Sure they call it “campaign finance donations,” but it’s no coincidence that politicians come through for those donors every single time. Sadly, this includes foreign governments as well (Russia, Saudi Arabia, Israel, etc.)

            The only surprising thing about this is that more foreign governments haven’t caught on. Our politicians are on sale for surprisingly cheap.

  • rando895@lemmy.ml
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    8 months ago

    Them: “Gee things are getting bad… The last time the poor were this bad off heads started rolling… How did we avoid that? Ohh yeah! Concessions! What if we SAY we want to give them concessions, and then tell the government not to? That should work!”

    -The wealthy leeches, enemies of humanity

  • eestileib@sh.itjust.works
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    8 months ago

    Maybe they should stop bribing elected officials to lower taxes on them then?

    Talk about crocodile tears, ffs.

    • Asafum@feddit.nl
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      8 months ago

      I mean I get what you’re saying, but these people asking to get taxed more “obviously” aren’t the people lobbying government to not get taxed. I’d bet it’s the CEOs and “lower level” assholes that want every benefit imaginable so they can appear to be doing a Good Job™ and collect their massive bonuses. :(

  • doublejay1999@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    I made a list of all the things preventing billionaires from building community projects (such as sports facilities, primary healthcare clinics, funding teachers, child care centres) to benefit working people :

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      They don’t even have to do the work.

      They can donate to progressives in primaries to offset the donations from other billionaires…

      It’s just they know they get the same PR for just saying this, so it’s all they do.

  • OpenStars@startrek.website
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    8 months ago

    Put your money where your mouth is and then I will believe it - bribe/threaten to withhold funds from a politician and just get it done.

    Putin does that by funding things like the NRA and Faux News.

    It’s highly effective.