If President Obama raises tax on large listed companies, the shareholders will pay the tax increased taxation. It is doubtful that many of his friends on Wall Street will pay a lot more income tax. They usually know how to organise things to minimise income tax payment.
However, given the amount that governments, and not just the government in the USA, have put into government stimuli and trying to bail out companies and protect banks from collapsing, they are going to have to pay down their respective debts some how.
Unfortunately this usually equals some form of taxation. It is better to equal increased income tax on those who can afford to pay, the well off, than a flat tax like a 10% sales tax that everyone has to pay. It means that pensioners and those on lowest incomes pay the same tax on a purchase as a billionaire. This can never be fair. Those who support it say that the wealthy buy more. Yes they do but they usually have ways of getting reimbursements through businesses on consumption taxes and they never spend as large a percentage of their income on consumer goods and services as someone on a low income. Therefore the percentage of their income paid in flat tax is always a lot lot lower.
I hope that this makes sense.
Cheers!!!
Kevin, even this morning's "The Australian" news paper has President Obama holidaying at Matha's Vinyard with his family. We also know that Presidents and Prime Ministers are on call when necessary 24/7.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/barack-obama-facing-fury-for-choosing-exclusive-holiday-destination/story-e6frg6so-1226119075555
Fire broke out at Blue Heron retreat
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/breaking-news/fire-breaks-out-at-us-president-barack-obamas-vacation-retreat-in-marthas-vineyard/story-e6freuyi-1226112149318
http://mvgazette.com/article.php?31453