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| | [[Image:Warren Buffet.jpg|thumb|Warren Buffett]] | | [[Image:Warren Buffet.jpg|thumb|Warren Buffett]] |
| − | '''Warren Buffett''' (b. Omaha, [[Nebraska]], 1930) is an American businessman, supposed philanthropist, and tax evader<ref>{{cite web |last1=Seidl |first1=Jonathon M. |url=http://www.theblaze.com/stories/obama-suporter-warren-buffetts-co-hasnt-paid-some-taxes-since-2002/ |title=Obama Supporter Warren Buffett’s Co. Hasn’t Paid Some Taxes Since 2002 |work=[[The Blaze]] |date=August 29, 2011 }}</ref>. According to [[Forbes]] he is at present the richest man in the world. Buffett is noted for his frugality despite his personal fortune (He still lives in the same house in [[Omaha]] he bought three decades ago for $31,500, and drives an older Lincoln Towncar). | + | '''Warren Buffett''' (b. Omaha, [[Nebraska]], 1930) is an American businessman, supposed philanthropist, and tax evader.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Seidl |first1=Jonathon M. |url=http://www.theblaze.com/stories/obama-suporter-warren-buffetts-co-hasnt-paid-some-taxes-since-2002/ |title=Obama Supporter Warren Buffett’s Co. Hasn’t Paid Some Taxes Since 2002 |work=[[The Blaze]] |date=August 29, 2011 }}</ref> According to [[Forbes]] he is at present the richest man in the world. Buffett is noted for his frugality despite his personal fortune (He still lives in the same house in [[Omaha]] he bought three decades ago for $31,500, and drives an older Lincoln Towncar). |
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| | <blockquote> | | <blockquote> |
| − | Over the past thirty-five years, Warren Buffett has emerged as arguably the greatest investor in American history. <ref>[http://beginnersinvest.about.com/cs/warrenbuffett/l/blwarrenbuffett.htm Warren Buffett Biography]</ref> | + | Over the past thirty-five years, Warren Buffett has emerged as arguably the greatest investor in American history.<ref>[http://beginnersinvest.about.com/cs/warrenbuffett/l/blwarrenbuffett.htm Warren Buffett Biography]</ref> |
| | </blockquote> | | </blockquote> |
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| − | In 2007 he announced that most of his fortune would be administered by the [[Gates Foundation|Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation]]. He pledged 10 million shares of Berkshire Hathaway stock to the foundation, and as of 2010 has delivered 25% of the pledged shares, valued at around $6 billion<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/General-Information/Leadership/Executive-Leadership-Team/Warren-Buffett |title=Warren Buffett Trustee |work=[[Gates Foundation|Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation]] }}</ref>. | + | In 2007 he announced that most of his fortune would be administered by the [[Gates Foundation|Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation]]. He pledged 10 million shares of Berkshire Hathaway stock to the foundation, and as of 2010 has delivered 25% of the pledged shares, valued at around $6 billion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/General-Information/Leadership/Executive-Leadership-Team/Warren-Buffett |title=Warren Buffett Trustee |work=[[Gates Foundation|Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation]] }}</ref> |
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| | Susie, his wife died in 2004, at 72. | | Susie, his wife died in 2004, at 72. |
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| − | Despite his reputation for entrepreneurship and successful business management, Buffett endorsed Democratic candidate [[Barack Obama]] during the [[2008 United States Presidential Election]]. He is also an affirmed [[agnostic]]<ref>[http://www.theamericanview.com/index.php?id=649]</ref>. | + | Despite his reputation for entrepreneurship and successful business management, Buffett endorsed Democratic candidate [[Barack Obama]] during the [[2008 United States Presidential Election]]. He is also an affirmed [[agnostic]].<ref>[http://www.theamericanview.com/index.php?id=649]</ref> |
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| − | Buffett hypocritically supports raising taxes on the rich, while not giving the government any extra tax money himself. He wrote an Op-ed article for the New York Times begging for tax increases on the rich. Of Buffett's $50 billion net worth, he only paid $6.9 million in taxes 2010<ref>{{cite web |last1=Novack |first1=Janet |url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/janetnovack/2011/10/12/warren-buffets-effective-federal-income-tax-rate-is-just-11/ |title=Warren Buffett's Effective Federal Income Tax Rate Was Just 11% |work=[[Forbes]] |date=October 12, 2011 }}</ref>. His personal income tax rate is 1/7000th of his net worth. Critics, mostly on the right, have mocked Buffett's call to raise taxes. Like other [[liberal]]s calling for higher taxes, they can afford to pay more but never do on their own. | + | Buffett hypocritically supports raising taxes on the rich, while not giving the government any extra tax money himself. He wrote an Op-ed article for the New York Times begging for tax increases on the rich. Of Buffett's $50 billion net worth, he only paid $6.9 million in taxes 2010.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Novack |first1=Janet |url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/janetnovack/2011/10/12/warren-buffets-effective-federal-income-tax-rate-is-just-11/ |title=Warren Buffett's Effective Federal Income Tax Rate Was Just 11% |work=[[Forbes]] |date=October 12, 2011 }}</ref> His personal income tax rate is 1/7000th of his net worth. Critics, mostly on the right, have mocked Buffett's call to raise taxes. Like other [[liberal]]s calling for higher taxes, they can afford to pay more but never do on their own. |
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| − | Buffett's company Berkshire Hathaway has been fighting with the IRS for almost a decade over taxes it owes, estimated to be $1 billion dollars<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sheppard |first1=Noel |url=http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2011/08/30/warren-raise-my-taxes-buffetts-company-may-owe-irs-1-billion#ixzz1We56oSBm |title=Warren 'Raise My Taxes' Buffett's Company May Owe IRS $1 Billion |work=[[Newsbusters]] |date=August 30, 2011 }}</ref>. | + | Buffett's company Berkshire Hathaway has been fighting with the IRS for almost a decade over taxes it owes, estimated to be $1 billion dollars.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sheppard |first1=Noel |url=http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2011/08/30/warren-raise-my-taxes-buffetts-company-may-owe-irs-1-billion#ixzz1We56oSBm |title=Warren 'Raise My Taxes' Buffett's Company May Owe IRS $1 Billion |work=[[Newsbusters]] |date=August 30, 2011 }}</ref> |
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| | == See also == | | == See also == |