Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts on Wednesday offered to sit down with Bill Gates after the billionaire Microsoft founder expressed reservations about taxing the super-wealthy — a central piece of Ms. Warren’s presidential campaign platform.
“I’m always happy to meet with people, even if we have different views,” Ms. Warren said on Twitter. “@BillGates, if we get the chance, I’d love to explain exactly how much you’d pay under my wealth tax. (I promise it’s not $100 billion.)”
Ms. Warren had proposed a 2% annual tax on assets of more than $50 million, with an additional 1% tax on wealth of more than $1 billion.
She recently suggested doubling the wealth tax for billionaires from 3% to 6% as part of a plan to pay for her “Medicare for All” universal health care plan.
The senator was responding to comments Mr. Gates had made at a New York Times event.
“I’ve paid over 10 billion in taxes — I [have] paid more than anyone in taxes,” Mr. Gates said. “If I had to pay 20 billion, it’s fine. But when you say I should pay 100 billion, OK, then I’m starting to do a little math about what I have left over. Sorry — I’m just kidding.”
He said he hasn’t talked to Ms. Warren about the issue.
“I’m not sure how open-minded she is — or that she’d even be willing to sit down with somebody who has large amounts of money,” Mr. Gates said.
Mr. Gates declined to say who he would support in the presidential election if Ms. Warren ends up winning the Democratic nomination.
“I’m not going to make political declarations,” Mr. Gates said. “But I do think no matter what policy somebody has in mind … whoever I decide would have the more professional approach in the current situation, probably is the thing that I’ll weigh the most. And I hope the more professional candidate is an electable candidate.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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