Apparently, there is at least one group of people taking Vice President Joe Biden seriously. In September 2008, Biden declared that paying higher taxes is "patriotic. Well, the "Patriotic Millionaires" are in Washington D.C. today with a message for Congress and Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist: Tax me!
Today, Wednesday, November 16, Patriotic Millionaires for Fiscal Strength -- a group of people with incomes over $1 million who want to pay hire taxes -- will descend on Washington to testify at a hearing called by the Progressive Caucus. Immediately following the hearing at about 12:30pm ET, these Patriotic Millionaires will hold a press conference and then embark on a day of meetings with Super Committee Members and their staffs, Congressional leaders, Tea Party Caucus members, and tax lobbyist Grover Norquist where they will convey a simple message: Any deal super committee deal that does not include higher taxes for millionaires should be killed.
The Patriotic Millionaires sent Congress and the President the following letter back in June:
Dear Mr President, Hon Harry Reid, Hon. John Boehner,
We are writing to urge you to put our country ahead of politics.
For the fiscal health of our nation and the well-being of our fellow citizens, we ask that you increase taxes on incomes over $1,000,000.
We make this request as loyal citizens who now or in the past earned an income of $1,000,000 per year or more.
Our country faces a choice – we can pay our debts and build for the future, or we can shirk our financial responsibilities and cripple our nation’s potential.
Our country has been good to us. It provided a foundation through which we could succeed. Now, we want to do our part to keep that foundation strong so that others can succeed as we have.
Please do the right thing for our country. Raise our taxes.
Speaking of choices, millionaires who feel they aren't being taxed enough can tell their accountants to stop taking advantage of tax credits and loopholes, in addition to paying more to the government on a regular basis at pay.gov.