Mitt’s Millionaire Club

Archive You're reading an older Hightower Lowdown article. Jim's still writing — twice a week on Substack.

During his infamous, surreptitiously videotaped, $50,000-a-plate fundraiser in Florida, Romney was full of disdain for poor people “who pay no income tax.” He didn’t mention, however, the most interesting fact about this No Tax Club: While nearly all of its members are in it because their incomes are too low to be taxed, one bunch of them has lots of income. In fact, last year, about 4,000 households with incomes above a million dollars each ended up paying zero federal income tax. But Mitt, speaking to a room full of millionaires, expressed no disdain for these real tax dodgers. Perhaps he was just being polite.

 

Keep reading Jim
Get the free Lowdown
Jim's twice-weekly commentaries delivered free to your inbox. No credit card, no catch.
No credit card. Unsubscribe anytime.
Go deeper
Get everything Jim's got
Live Q&As, the Chat & Chew series, radio archives, and more. Less than a cup of coffee a month.
Subscribe for $40/year
Special rate for original Lowdown readers
Regular price: $50/year
Jim Hightower's Lowdown
The Lowdown moved —
Jim didn't stop writing.

Get Jim's commentaries delivered every Tuesday and Thursday — free, to your inbox. Join 50,000+ readers.

Get the free Lowdown →
or go paid
Subscribe for $40/year
Special rate for original Lowdown readers — regular price $50/yr