William A. Manning

Mr. Buffett, no one is going to stop you from going online to www.IRS.gov and voluntarily paying more taxes. Here's a refresher on how money works, just in case you've forgotten.

The "Super Rich", such as yourself Mr. Buffett, use their wealth in any way they want and its usually to create more wealth. Now, unless they keep cold hard cash in a lockbox somewhere, their wealth is being used by the economy in one form or another.

If one of the "Super Rich" decides to buy an item or use a service through the private sector, they will need to trade something for it. It doesn't matter if stocks, bonds, precious metal or paper money is used, a portion of their wealth is transferred, voluntarily, and another person or company benefits. Simple free market, Mr. Buffett. Both parties benefit to their advantage.

Now the second party in that simple action of trade may pay employees, re-invest their earnings into the growth of their own business, deposit it in a bank, or spend it in any way they choose. That's called liberty, Mr. Buffett. What they do with those earnings is their choice in their pursuit of happiness.

If someone decides to use their wealth in the purchase of consumable items, then the employees of manufacturers of those items will earn, earn is the keyword Mr. Buffett, a paycheck. The manufacturers themselves need to pay for materials needed to produce their items, and so on down the line. Every employee in that chain of demand will earn a wage. Generally, manufacturers will spend their earned capital to further their pursuit of more earnings.

You, as an investor, do not invest in companies that squander their capital, because you know that if a company doesn't spend their resources wisely, your investment was wasted.

Along those line, as a philanthropist, you do not donate to charities unless those charities operate in a cost efficient way that will help the largest number of people. If you weren't aware, Mr. Buffett, government is neither a legitimate business nor is it a charity.

The reasons I say this are simple ones from observations.

If the government were a legitimate business, then those in the government would be more efficient at managing government programs and services at the lowest cost to the consumer (population). Those in the government would be more concerned with the maintenance of the infrastructure currently provided, instead of adding more costs due to unnecessary roadways, bridges, and high speed rails.  Where a private company couldn't justify the cost in purchasing a product or service it has no need for, those in the government will claim "moral" justification of providing jobs.

Mr. Buffett, a company hires people because it is successful at providing what consumers want, not out of some "moral" code. While high speed rails are, I admit pretty nifty, the consumer have no real desire for them. If they did, private firms would either be providing these services already or in an early stage of providing them. Private firms know that in order to provided these trains at a cost most consumers could afford, they wouldn't see a return of their investment for quite some time.

Just take a look around you Mr. Buffett and tell me if the highway system is in good order at a reasonable cost. Look at the USPS and tell me why that government entity is lossing money and how would a private firm make it profitable again. UPS and FedEx are good examples of what couriers are capable of.

Here are some questions that I would like you to answer. Why would anyone want to invest in something that a track record of losing and wasting their capital? Would you invest in a corporation if it were managed the same way? I doubt that you would. As a matter of opinion, I think if you were already invested in a corporation and it started to operate in the same fashion as the government , you would sell your investments as quickly as possible to lose as little as possible.

Again, Mr. Buffett, you and those that want their taxes raised are welcomed and encouraged to go to www.IRS.gov and give as much as you want. Your opinion that others should pay for a mismanaged money pit as well is received on deaf ears.

Remember, ENRON execs and people like Madoff manipulated every accounting trick known to man to steal from their investors and they were prosecuted. Those in the government are doing the exact same thing to the country and its considered legal on "moral" principles. The truth is, no matter how much you are taxed, there are those in the government that will still demand more and more until you have nothing. 

Disclaimer: I'm nowhere near "rich".