Wow, what an incorrect leap of logic you make it's absolutely amazing.
Warren Buffet's position on the matter is that people making a galactic pantsload of money need to pay more in taxes. By his own definition he makes a galactic pantsload of money. Yet despite his claim that he would willingly pay more in taxes he willingly pays the minimum necessary and does not willingly pay more in taxes.
You only confirm everything I said.
He pays the minimum because he understands the difference between *the tax rate for people who make pantsloads*, and his personally making a larger payment.
The policy he advocates WOULD cost him more money - and it would raise a substantial amount of money. He alone donating that same amount would not.
It's not that complicated.
My post's point, which you either didn't get or ignored, isn't on the mandate of taxes. My point clearly was that despite Buffet's claims to the contrary he is completely unwilling to pay more in taxes. That fact can be verified by the fact that he does not pay more in taxes than the minimum required by the IRS.
He IS willing to pay more taxes, as he would if the policy he advocates is passed. Tax rate, not his personal donation, to repeat the point for you.
His public statements carry the same hypocrisy as someone who felt all citizens should have mandatory military service but never served himself. It's very gracious of him to volunteer an entire class of people for an obligation he himself is unwilling to make.
No, they don't; he lacks hypocrisy just as someone who (wrongly IMO) advocates mandatory military service for everyone and WOULD serve under that policy.
You again disprove your own position.
Now, you don't have to be affected by a policy you advocate to have every right to advocate it. You can be for the estate tax, and be one of the 99.8% of people who don't pay it under the current proposal. You can support the country going to war even if you are not going to be participating. You can support a policy on our education system even if you have no kids in it. And so on. Now, whether your motives are more or less selfish is a separate issue.
Buffet's are remarkably altruistic - he's offering to pay more himself as one of his class doing so because he's concerned about society doing well.
Statements to the effect of "I would gladly do more than the minimum or amount required by law but since you aren't forcing me to I won't" have absolutely no sincerity to them.
Yes, they do. If the rat is raised, it raises a lot of money. If he pays the same amount himself and no one else does, it's not.
And to repeat:
I await your answer as to why making all taxes optional and telling anyone who wants any mandatory taxes the only answer is 'pay it yourself' is not your stated logic.