On Monday news broke that golfer Phil Mickelson, who lives in the extreme tax state of California, is unhappy with having to pay about 62% of his annual income to the government. Mickelson said “”If you add up all the federal and you look at the disability and the unemployment and the Social Security and the state, my tax rate’s 62, 63 percent. So I’ve got to make some decisions on what I’m going to do.” That’s after California passed what amounts to a plunder tax on millionaires last year, retroactively hiking the rates on high earners to pay for public employee pension shortfalls.
The left pounced on Mickelson for saying something that’s perfectly reasonable. Syracuse professor Len Burman is typical, scolding Mickelson that his tax rate can’t be that high so it must be his accountant’s fault (not the grasping government’s or the greedy public unions’) and that Mickelson should just thank his lucky stars that he’s lucky enough to make so much money that he can be so heavily taxed.
Sir, you get paid astonishing amounts of money for playing golf–directly through the purses you win at tournaments and indirectly through all the endorsement deals that come with golf success. According to Forbes, you are the seventh highest paid athlete in the world, with $4.8 million in salary and winnings and $43 million in endorsements?
Do you have any idea how lucky you are?
In Berman’s world, hard work isn’t what takes an athlete to the pinnacle of his sport. It’s just luck. Does Berman realize how lucky he is to be a useless leftist in a nation that hasn’t seen fit to cut the exorbitant costs and benefits of being a useless leftist at a typical university?
Well, Mickelson isn’t accustomed to the kind of blowback that comes from voicing an opinion that’s out of step with the loving, tolerant left. So now he has backed down.
“Finances and taxes are a personal matter, and I should not have made my opinions on them public,” Mickelson said in a statement released late Monday night. “I apologize to those I have upset or insulted, and assure you I intend to not let it happen again.”
That’s too bad. The wealthy have been hammered with the “they don’t pay their fair share” lie so often in the Obama years that a majority believes it, and re-elected Obama. The fact is and has long been that the wealthy pay the lion’s share of taxes, and that money is more and more often turned against them one way or another. We need more of them speaking out, not less.
As for Mickelson and his taxes, I have a suggestion: Texas. No state income tax, and therefore no surcharge on success. Central Texas could use another pro quality course carved out of the hill country.
I apologize to those I have upset or insulted
What Mikelson should have said is this: “To anyone who was upset or insulted by my words, I have this to say: grow up.”
Berman does not appear to understand free market capitalism. Mickelson isn’t lucky. He is a VERY talented and VERY hardworking individual who provides a service that fans and companies very much want. He is paid for the perceived value he provides. This isn’t luck you Marxist.
It’s amazing how quickly the craven cowards back down after raising the ire of the leftists. Himmler would be proud.
First off, I am using the name of a Troll infamous on this site to illustrate this one critical weakness of the site:
SECURITY THRESHOLDS ARE WEAK HERE
The site would get fewer comments if commnents had to be linked to people’s Facebook account, where you cannot use a false name or you are thrown out.
Code of Conduct? Weak here and on Facebook. Facebook tries optional filters that let permutations of offensive terms through. Honestly, human eyes and a human mind behind it are the best way to enforce a Code of Conduct
If PJMedia wishes to be taken seriously, it will have to get its act together and give the bad actors the old heave ho.
You can start with the real Cynical Wonder.
Now as to what this obscure professor in a minor school in upstate New York mattering to Phil Mickelson, well, Phil Mickleson gives said obscure academic scribbler as much or as little power over him as he wants to.
I do suspect this will be the only time we hear the name of … what was the name of that silly schmoo with worthless letters after his name again? No bother, I’d only forget it a nanosecond later.
All time ever concern troll. Ever.
Mikelson didn’t back down. He rightly recognized that as a public figure he was subject to flack from all and sundry nut jobs out there for any statement he might make that they didn’t agree with. He’s learned his lesson. From now on his financial decisions will, I predict, be very private.
I wish him well in his new home, probably either Nevada or Texas.
Agreed – it’s not just what he said, it’s how he said it – to the assorted loons and nutjobs that take offense, …from now on he will speak with his feet..to texas or Nv, and leave the slip of the tongues to Rinos
classic progressive bullying.
You shouldn’t even blame Mickleson. He would have to be exceptionally strong to endure the abuse that was inevitably heaped on him.
Anybody familiar with their MO would know he would back off.
In private, he will do what he needs to do…but now, even that will put him and his family at risk. Somebody might actually shoot him, and will certainly threaten him. It’s what they do.
Phil, why not just move first and ramble later, once you’re good and gone…?
Sheeesh, for someone who makes his living strategizing you sure don’t act the part in real life.
Now, you get to have ‘that dog’ follow you around, practically forever.
“Bad Phil, Bad, Bad……”
Personally, I’d recommend that Mickelson take a look at the Panhandle. Much better business incentives and less competition. Central Texas is lousy with golf courses.
California also has a Jock Tax. Any pro athlete who competes in an event or plays a game in CA is subject to the state income tax for income earned at that event. The state received $102 million in taxes from visiting athletes in 2006-7.
I say move out of California….love it or leave it……isn’t that what Conservatives always say when talking about the United States? Go live in one of those God awful states like Texas….