Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/03/15/pass-through-entities.html
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Well… not all superheroes.
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Presumably Matt Murdock would also be eligible for the tax credit for the blind.
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Drain the Swamp Thing!
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Obviously, this is a good thing: by getting to keep more of their hard-earned (or unearned) income, superheroes will be better able to fight crime. They may even be incentivized to fight crime. After all, it has been repeatedly argued that high tax rates demotivate high net-worth individuals (aka “job creators”), leaving them reluctant to participate in the economy to everyone’s benefit. Surely, the same is true of superheroes. Tax Superman too much, and he just retreats to the Fortress of Solitude and sulks.
But what about supervillains? As far as I can see, the paper doesn’t address this at all. And while superheroes are often wealthy, supervillains are probably wealthier still. While few of them probably file tax returns, making it hard to assess exactly how rich they are, there does seem to be an overlap between extreme wealth and supervillainy. For one thing, they often command legions of disposable henchmen (who are presumably either W-2 employees or freelance contractors). Then there are all the costly gadgets they have at their disposal. Clearly, they’re running big, high-revenue operations. So just how much does the new tax law help, say, Lex Luthor?
There’s a real danger that however well the superheroes are doing out of it, the supervillains are doing better. What was that you said about “making out like bandits”?
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Just a reminder: when Lex Luthor ran for President he released his tax returns and divested from his private business interests.
We have a President who can’t uphold the same ethical standards as a comic book supervillain.
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I love the thought of Henchman #732, having miraculously survived the year, getting a W2 from Stacy down in accounting of Doom Heavy Industries.
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That will buy a lot of capes. I only have two. Well technically one is a cloak.
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Can you declare your secret identity as a dependent?
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I wonder what the tax code looks like in Latveria. (I have a hunch it favors the monarchy.)
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fun fact…Deadpool has never cashed a single check that he has been paid for various “jobs”.
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Ya know…if I were Cap I’d be a bit pissed. I mean Tony is living here…
while Cap is living here…
I mean it isn’t a bad place in DC or anything, just man Tony could have at least bought him something bigger, more spacious.
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See it’s funny cuz in make believe some of the super rich actually give a crap and use their super powers to fight evil and even richer super villains. While here in reality the rich grease the wheels of industry and the chutes of their money laundries with disposable meatsack poors and actively work to screw over as many less advantaged meatsacks, rinse/repeat.
If Elon Musk starts wandering around beating up bad guys in colorful (OK, probably black) spandex, that is IT. We ARE living in a sim and it’s a bad/silly one. (searches universe for reset button… )
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Tax “relief” is Trumpian framing.
https://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/10/27_lakoff.shtml
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I doubt Cap would’ve accepted anything lavish. He’s humble to a fault. Besides, let’s not forget how their relationship ended.
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If they weren’t rich, wouldn’t they be just villains?
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Starman in his flying Tesla Roadster?
He could team up with Green Arrow.
If Elon starts wearing spandex and beating people up, it’s not because he’s become a super hero…
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Although in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, all the villains Tony Stark has fought were either created, armed, enabled or inspired by he himself.
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