French Establishment Up in Arms at Depardieu (Actor) For Leaving France over High Taxes

[lx43]

French actor Gérard Depardieu elicited a barrage of criticism for leaving France and settling in Belgium on the grounds that he has had it with “redistribution” and “paying, in 2012, an 85 percent tax-rate on my income tax.”

Writes Forbes: “The actor was heavily criticized. The Prime Minister called him a ‘pathetic’ character; the minister of labor, Michel Sapin, said he went into ‘personal degeneration’; the minister of culture, Aurélie Filippetti, was ‘totally scandalized’; the minister of the relations with the parliament, Alain Vitalies, was ‘shocked’; and the head of the Socialist Party, Harlem Désir, was ‘saddened.’”

French citizenship, added the outraged minister of culture, “is an honor,” partly because it gives one the opportunity “to pay taxes.”





http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...obref=obinsite

Pathetic, you said "pathetic"? How pathetic it is!

I was born in 1948, I started working at the age of 14 as a printer, as a warehouseman and then as a dramatic artist. I've always paid my taxes and levies, whatever the rate has been under all the governments in place.

At no point have I defaulted on my duties. The historic films I've made testify to my love of France and its history.

More illustrious figures than me have been expatriated or have left our country.

I sadly have nothing left to do here, but I will continue to love the French people and this public with whom I've shared so many emotions!

I'm leaving because you consider that success, creation, talent, in fact, differences, must be punished.

I do not ask to be approved of. I could at least be respected!

No one else who has left France has been attacked as I am.

I don't have to justify the reasons for my choice, which are numerous and personal.

I leave, after having paid, in 2012, 85% taxes on my earnings. But I keep the spirit of this France that was beautiful and that I hope will remain so.

I return to you my passport and my social security that I have never used. We no longer have the same fatherland, I am a true European, a citizen of the world, as my father always taught me.

I find pathetic the harshness of the justice delivered against my [late] son Guillaume, judged by judges who condemned him as a kid to three years of hard time for two grams of heroin, while so many others escaped prison for much more serious acts.

I throw no stones at all those who have cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, or too much alcohol or those who fall asleep on their scooters: I am one of them, as your dear media so loves to repeat.

I have never killed anyone, I do not think I've shown myself unworthy, I have paid €145 million in taxes over 45 years, I provide jobs for 80 people in companies that were created for them and are managed by them.

I am neither complaining nor bragging, but I reject the word "pathetic."

Who are you to judge me thus, I ask you Mr. Ayrault, Prime Minister of Mr. Hollande, I ask you, who are you?

Despite my excesses, my appetite and my love of life, I am a free person Sir and I will remain polite.

Gérard Depardieu

[NIU Students for Liberty]

Why did it take so long for Depardieu to leave? I would have assumed that France has had this tax rate for quite some time now.

[lx43]

I guess he reached the point where he couldn't take the high taxes any longer.

[Uriah]

He is not the first to leave nor will he be the last. I would leave my home if 75% or more of my earned income was taken from me.


French government:

[Athan]

85%?! Damn that isn't pay rates for serfs, that is straight up slave pay rates.

[Danan]

Why did it take so long for Depardieu to leave? I would have assumed that France has had this tax rate for quite some time now.

No. The new president Hollande, a socialist, has introduced all kinds of new taxes and increased existing ones, to pay for all the new welfare, official retirement age of 60, etc.

This country is going to fall apart soon. And because all our politicians are spineless losers, willing to throw our money at them, they are going to drag the rest of Europe down, too.

[nobody's_hero]

I wish all the top-earners would leave. Then what happens is those high taxes will apply to the next-highest earners. Then they leave. The cycle continues until nearly everyone is being taxes at high rates.

Remember, in a socialist country, you don't have to be filthy rich for your money to be taken and re-distributed. You just have to have more than the guy next to you.

If you have shoes with holes in them and the guy next to you has no shoes at all, guess what?

[Danan]

I wish all the top-earners would leave. Then what happens is those high taxes will apply to the next-highest earners. Then they leave. The cycle continues until nearly everyone is being taxes at high rates.

No, what would happen would be that Hollande and his socialists buddies all across Europe would see this as a clear sign that competing tax codes are imposing "social harm" on member states of the EU and that we need a uniform tax code decided in Brussels. And that's not going to be any lower for any country, because those guys there are not really accountable to anyone.

And then there is no place to go left.

[LibForestPaul]

Remember, in a socialist country, you don't have to be filthy rich for your money to be taken and re-distributed. You just have to have anything and not be connected.

Plenty of connected wealthy individuals in socialist countries who pay nothing, and do nothing, except take graft.

[FreedomProsperityPeace]

I wish all the top-earners would leave. Then what happens is those high taxes will apply to the next-highest earners. Then they leave. The cycle continues until nearly everyone is being taxes at high rates.

+1. I hope it happens here too, after Obama raises taxes. We need a sudden and obvious result of these redistributionist policies to be thrown in their faces.

[nobody's_hero]

+1. I hope it happens here too, after Obama raises taxes. We need a sudden and obvious result of these redistributionist policies to be thrown in their faces.

I remember someone posted a thread on these forums about wealthy people leaving Maryland after taxes were increased. And there's the more-recent one about California.

No, what would happen would be that Hollande and his socialists buddies all across Europe would see this as a clear sign that competing tax codes are imposing "social harm" on member states of the EU and that we need a uniform tax code decided in Brussels. And that's not going to be any lower for any country, because those guys there are not really accountable to anyone.

And then there is no place to go left.

It does seem like that is the direction the world is heading in.

[sirgonzo420]

Remember, in a socialist country, you don't have to be filthy rich for your money to be taken and re-distributed. You just have to have anything and not be connected.

Plenty of connected wealthy individuals in socialist countries who pay nothing, and do nothing, except take graft.

Well yeah, but without that, what is the point of socialism?