Tax Hollywood Into Poverty

Filibusters, War and Newsweek will have to wait for another day. I heard George Voinovich crying on the radio this morning and it put me in a lighthearted mood. I’ll come back breathing fire tomorrow. Hold me to that.

P.J. O'Rourke can be hilarious at times.

Here's a Tax We Can All Agree On

America's media and entertainment industry has a gross (as it were) revenue of $316.8 billion a year. If we subtract the income derived from worthy journalism and the publishing of serious books, that leaves $316.8 billion.

I suggest, therefore, a Celebrity Tax with a low-end base rate of, mmm, 100 percent.

Given the modest talent of current celebrities and the immodest example they set for impressionable youth, we'll call it a "Value Subtracted Tax," or, better, a "Family Value Subtracted Tax." And it will be calculated on the celebrity's net worth.

Part of the reason most celebrities like taxes is that they aren’t seriously affected. The left loves to go after oil men and business owners as greedy and corrupt barons who buy their way out of paying their fair share, but rarely does the mention of the Hollywood elite enter the conversation. These elite should be all for a tax of this nature. Perhaps not 100 percent. I think 95 percent would do.

One effect would be a Hollywood turn to the right. I have a theory as to why ‘stars’ are so bent to the left. They gained all of this cash and fame with very little effort and feel guilty about it. Rather than just donate it all to charity, they feel the need to suck us little guys down with them. Combine that with the fact that the elite in Hollywood are used to being worshiped in their own little worlds and one can see how, not only are they bent left, but feel they need to share their enlightenment with the rest of us. If we could tax these people out of their place in the clouds, perhaps we would relieve them of their guilt. Consider it a government health program for the arrogant.

I recently, and mistakenly, watched ‘Ocean’s Twelve’ on DVD and had trouble keeping my supper down. What an exercise in self worship. I rarely watch movies anymore, mainly because I can’t stand the thought of enriching these pompous loudmouths with my own cash. There are exceptions. I would recommend the latest ‘King Arthur’ flick to anyone who doesn’t mind blood and gore. But overall, I will stick with baseball. (Yeah, I know they are rich too, but hey, they’re exempt!)

Speaking of shared enlightenment, Linda Foley, who enlightened us by saying…

"It's not just U.S. journalists either, by the way. They target and kill journalists from other countries, particularly Arab countries, at news services like Al Jazeera, for example. They actually target them and blow up their studios, with impunity."

…was ignored by the MSM again today. I recommend a visit to Foley Gate for anyone interested in keeping tabs on the topic.

Disclaimer: For those that might think I took the O’Rourke article seriously…get a grip.