Warren Buffett Derides Chris Christie For 'Write A Check And Shut Up' Comment

Warren Buffett hit back at Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) on Monday, in response to Christie saying that Buffett should "write a check and shut up."

Warren Buffett hit back at Chris Christie on Monday, sarcastically saying that the New Jersey governor's suggestion that the billionaire investor "just write a check and shut up" was a "touching response."

Buffet's comments came in response to an interview Christie gave CNN last week. Referring to Buffett's suggestion that the wealthiest Americans be taxed at a higher rate, the New Jersey governor said that Warren "should just write [the government] a check and shut up."

"It's sort of a touching response to a $1.2 trillion deficit, isn't it?" said Buffett in an interview Monday with CNBC. "That somehow the American people will all send in checks and take care of it?"

Buffett's philosophy on income tax, which he outlined last summer in a New York Times editorial, was adopted by President Obama in his new budget. Known as the "Buffett Rule," the proposal would raise taxes for the very wealthy. Under the new structure, individuals who make more than $1 million annually would pay a tax rate of at least 30 percent.

Buffett also criticized the Republican governor for not being "eloquent," and for echoing comments made earlier by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who said last year that Buffett should "send in a check" if he is "feeling guilty" about paying less in taxes than those with smaller incomes.

"It's sort of astounding to me that somebody that has the responsibility for being the minority leader in the Senate would think that you attack a $1.2 trillion or so deficit by asking for voluntary contributions," he said.

Buffett responded to McConnell's comments earlier this year, pledging to match voluntary tax contributions made by any Republican members of Congress.

"I'll even go three for one for McConnell," Buffett said in January.

Watch Buffett's interview with CNBC:

Comments

[sonyawiley]

02:20 PM on 10/11/2012

Dearest Warren,
Gov Christie have recently walked back his rhetoric, checked himself to go with the natural order of the way the world works and to clearly show you much more respect then late.

Sonya

[James Twomey]

02:17 PM on 06/08/2012

Christie's comments were made specifically to Buffett. He didn't suggest the American people should send in checks, Buffett should because he is whining about how he should pay more taxes. No one is forcing him not to until a law will be passed forcing him to. Christie was right in that case.

[Will737]

01:27 PM on 03/01/2012

Berkshire Back Taxes ? --- Trolls here repeat the New York Post Claim
The New York Post editorial trying to make a big deal about back years taxes not settled by the IRS and Berkshire? Here’s the scoop. Back when I was a mere child of only 30 years old, I was taking care of a Fortune 100 company's Federal return. That was 1980 and the IRS was working on auditing 1974-75. That’s not a slam on the IRS. After all, the return was three five-inch-thick binders (not including any of the supporting documents contained in ten tall file cabinets to say nothing of the paper out at division level.) This is normal. And it is completely normal for any large corporation. The actual adjustments were next to nothing in the grand scheme of things. But they were a great deal more than the mere salaries of the four or five IRS agents assigned to do the audit and make adjustments. Some issues in corporate tax law are complex. Go read the Internal Revenue Code if you don’t believe me. So the people at the New York Post are dishonest idiots and the New York Post is a pathetic rag. Now tell me something new.

[jerryfromcalifornia]

11:36 AM on 03/14/2012

Fanned for an intelligent comment.

[Will737]

01:05 PM on 03/01/2012

Berkshire Back Taxes ? --- New York Post Claim
The trolls claim about Berkshire owing a bunch of back taxes? Well, I finally located the origin of these outright lies. First, the source is the New York Post. Get that, it’s in the most irresponsible "News" Rag that is put out by Rupert Murdock. Second, even worse, it’s a New York Post “editorial”. So the Rupert Murdock theory of “facts” as laid out by Bill O’Reilly applies—they think that outright lying about actual facts is entirely OK if it’s in an editorial. Third, even the New York Post does not make this assertion as an assertion of its own. Fourth, instead they quote some dimbulb named Bill Wilson from “Americans For Limited Government.” Oh, what reliability, after all he has a Political Science degree. Fifth, it must be a good source because one of the principle founders of AFLG, Mark Rich knows all about taxes. He was indicted for tax evasion and had to run away to Switzerland, you know. Sixth, the Post dishonestly clips a quote from the 2010 Berkshire Annual report footnote and leaves out the most important part of that footnote, namely “We currently believe that there are no jurisdictions in which the outcome of unresolved issues or claims is likely to be material to the Consolidated Financial Statements.” OK. So the New York Post lies. What else is new?

[Robin Rae Overholt]

08:11 AM on 03/01/2012

Christie by the same token should be telling Hannity to "put up or shut up" when it comes to being waterboarded!

[AquariusZero]

03:41 PM on 02/29/2012

War in Iraq? Just borrow from the Chinese and write a check.

Christie is all bluster and no muster. He forgets that he represents other people in Government. If he is a representation of the American people, we all need Jenny Craig, A "Working Well With Others" Seminar and Anger Management Classes.

What kind of politician snubs someone with pockets as deep as Buffet's? Answer: A lousy one. I see why C.C. didn't run for Prez. His mouth would have cost him millions in campaign contributions.

[Mary Sue Mc Cormick]

04:16 PM on 03/02/2012

He will try for POTUS in 2016...and have his hand out to people like Mr. Buffett!

[margaritamayhem]

11:32 AM on 02/29/2012

Christie is a thug.

[HitnMyths]

10:26 AM on 02/29/2012

The Reptilicans sure showed Mr Buffet, didn't they! The flood of contributions by Gopers has nearly bankrupted Mr Buffet in honoring his twofer pledge. They really know how to shut up those moutry billionaires by.... What's that? Not ONE contribution? Just more hot air from the hot air party of NO? That can't be!

[seaworthy]

05:57 AM on 02/29/2012

Awesome, Mr. Buffet.

[hobbesjd]

04:47 AM on 02/29/2012

go warren.

[Jackandcoke]

11:15 PM on 02/28/2012

I guess we can add Christie to any sentence that includes Palin, Santorum, Trump, Brewer, McConnell, Boehner, and any other Republican hypocrite.

[Writerdude2011]

11:09 PM on 02/28/2012

These GOP dopes want to take Buffet on over economics ? Really? They're dumber than I thought

[emczbuddy]

06:48 PM on 03/02/2012

I couldn't agree more. They would be luck to have the advise of Mr Buffet.

[scottwarhar]

11:04 PM on 02/28/2012

This is the true Teapublican attitude about freedom of speech.If you don't agree with us just shut up.These people are a work of art and a true example of the meaning of hypocracy.They show it everytime you elect them into office,

[rascal sage]

10:51 PM on 02/28/2012

Mr. Buffet is very knowledgeable on matters of finance and taxes. Gov Christie on the other hand has a very large mouth!

[luv2lib]

10:51 PM on 02/28/2012

This is why Christie is so popular with the Republicans. They love someone that is rude, obnoxious, hateful, greedy, and bigoted. That's the republican way!