"It profits me but little that a vigilant authority always protects the tranquillity of my pleasures and constantly averts all dangers from my path, without my care or concern, if this same authority is the absolute master of my liberty and my life."

--Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America

Friday, January 4, 2013

File This Under "Life Imitates The Onion"

You couldn't write this stuff for a parody magazine and get away with it:

Ooh la la! Guess who’s switching from brie to borscht?

Gerard Depardieu, the enigmatic French actor, has become a Russian citizen. The announcement that Depardieu had officially been approved (by President Vladimir Putin himself, apparently) followed a flurry of exchanges between Depardieu and Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault over French President Francois Hollande‘s plans to raise taxes in Depardieu’s native country....

Depardieu, who is much beloved in Russia, opted to take Putin up on the offer, largely, it appears to take advantage of Russia’s flat tax rate of just 13%.

The public spat – and Depardieu’s move – has called attention to the concern over France’s economy. As in the U.S., public debt is high as is unemployment. French President Hollande introduced the so-called millionaire’s tax of up to 75% on individuals making more than 1 million euro ($1,318,499.34 US) as a temporary measure to raise revenue. As expected, the proposal didn’t thrill high income taxpayers, including Depardieu.

America in 2013 is more socialist than Russia!   Who'd a thunk it?

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