This link, NY Times, this screen capture.
Even Indian subcontinent news outlets cover the "You have to make it into a movie" dimension of the story; yet with the Rupert Murdoch press empire strangely silent. Depardieu could play himself, a better actor than the Gipper. Bruce Willis to play Putin.
So, why do you suppose Rupert's outlets ignore such news?
Fear of 75% playing well with the 99%, Tea Party and far left together on it? Rupert having a don't-rock-this-boat liking for the way we got sold out and Harry Reid got bypassed in making permanent tax largess for the wealthy? Changing that largess from periodic reexamination, and instead casting it into stone?
It was an interesting move FORWARD from a campaign promise of relief at the $250,000 level - then a sell out to $450,000. And always remember the higher rates apply to the marginal income above the threshold, only. If the $250,000 promise were to have been honored, everybody, even the most super-wealthy would have been taxed equally low on any/all income below that bracket-setting figure.
Now, imagine yourself in France, and able, with little work beyond manipulating investment portfolio makeup, to gain an extra million dollars for your 2012 income. Would you deny yourself that opportunity, because you would be allowed to keep and luxuriously spend $250,000 discretionary money from it even if it were money falling into a marginal bracket taxed at 75%? Would you cut off your nose to spite your face? The wealthy argue everyone would, and there would be a staggering disincentive to easily glom onto that extra million bucks, with staggering consequences for those lesser people, who are foolishly waiting for trickledown to begin trickling.
Get real.
I had a dream. All the places in Russia there were Lenin statues, new statues erected, of Ayn Rand. The Koch Brothers departing our shores, taking their mischief to 13% flat-tax land. Each of the Kochs saying from the cruise ship, "I am John Galt."
After all, Russia is where the ingrates' dad got all the family nest egg money in the first place.
Can you picture it: ALEC-MOSCOW, how it might play, how its hack-job divisive messages, from a distance, might pale to insignificance?
With all but Mary Kiffmeyer growing disenchanted.
__________UPDATE_________
BBC coverage, here (check it out, the lead photo is worth it, with further links at the end).
Ah, these tax rebels. They can amuse.
Is it Tea Party with a French accent? Perhaps.
Except Tea Partiers may have the outrage, but their rag-tag rank and file lack the big wads of cash. Depardieu doing this would be more like Alec Baldwin taking his "wonderful partner" credit card huckestering overseas.
Occupy sympathies meet hard cash offers, and Alec acts.
Perhaps Baldwin could play the Putin role, if the fine story ever gets scripted and produced.
Better yet, give him the Depardieu role, keep Bruce Willis cast as Putin.
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| Who's next? |
__________FURTHER UPDATE___________
Always on the side you expect to find them, editors of The Economist weigh in - France at fault, not the Frenchman. This screen capture:
As with cuisine, the French way may have much to be learned.