WASHINGTON, D.C. Aug. 15, 2011 (DPI) — Warren Buffett once again called on Uncle Sam to take his money, saying people earning more than $1 million should pay more taxes and help reduce the government’s massive deficits.

In a column in The New York Times Monday, Buffett wrote that most  wealthy people “wouldn’t mind being told to pay more in taxes … particularly when so many of their fellow citizens are truly suffering. ” He added that “It’s time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice.”

The column, which carried no reader-comment option, circulated widely on the internet, becoming the #1 emailed item on NYTimes.com Monday afternoon. An MSNBC poll reported that nearly 95% of readers agreed with Buffett, with 66,000 readers responding Monday.

Buffett points out that more than 236,000 households earned more than $1 million in 2009, and nearly 8,300 earned more than $10 million. He suggested higher income-tax rates, as well as higher capital gains and dividend tax rates, for both.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/15/opinion/stop-coddling-the-super-rich.html?src=me&ref=general

DPI OUT-OF-LEFT-FIELD DEPT (Commentary): If higher taxes are so difficult to agree to, how about a plain old assessment on people’s wealth? After all, the rich can relate to an assessment: Their country clubs and social clubs levy them every few years, to re-plaster the swimming pool, re-appoint the members’ dining room or install new irrigation on the pesky 13th hole, all with nary a whimper of protest.

An assessment, especially one earmarked for debt reduction, may be outrageous, unprecedented and unconstitutional, but at least it might keep the government from trying to spend it another way.

Tea Partiers and the Right generally have for years been trying to starve government by blocking higher tax rates, which has in large part prompted the fiscal crisis.  The Right is correct:  Our governments are too big. And the Left is correct: Our governments don’t have enough money, and need new sources of revenue.