Billionaire Richard Branson: Taxing the extremely wealthy like me 'makes sense'

CNBC ^ | 2/14/19 | Berkeley Lovelace Jr.

[Lockbox]

Billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist Richard Branson said Thursday that taxing the rich "makes sense," arguing the extremely affluent have a responsibility to tackle some of the biggest problems in the world, including wealth disparities.

"People like myself are incredibly fortunate," the Virgin Group founder told CNBC's Morgan Brennan in an interview. "I suspect there should be higher taxes for the wealthy around the world and I don't think they would object to that."

Branson — with a net worth of $4.1 billion, according to Forbes — is part of the growing circle of elite business leaders questioning wealth disparity in the world. He said that governments need to get taxes from "somewhere" while helping the middle class and poor.

During the Milken Institute Summit in Abu Dhabi earlier this week, Branson expressed similar views. "We have to try and do everything we can to lift the vast majority of people up, when for the last few years the vast majority have not seen their living standards improve," he told an audience on Tuesday evening.

[budj]

"...big governments spend 110% of their income..."

I think:,
1) You're way low in the estimate, and
2) there's the problem.

[USS Alaska]

Would these pricks object to a 70% tax on net worth?