Bill Maher says California’s taxes are worse than drug dealers on Club Random
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Comedian Bill Maher criticized California’s heavy tax burden on businesses on Monday during his “Club Random” podcast, joking that the blue-collar state has less money than drug dealers he’s bought from in the past.
“It’s almost impossible to run a business like that in California,” Maher said on Monday’s episode.
“I mean, the state only takes 40% tax. F—, you know, when I bought drugs from a crooked dealer, he didn’t avoid 40%.
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Bill Maher compared the government’s tax burden on businesses to his past experience buying marijuana. (Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images)
Maher then joked that even though he used to sell marijuana, he never had the same tax cuts as California.
“Since I can buy a pound, which is 16 ounces, I made 17 ounces. That’s not 40%, but the government is worse than the seller,” he said.
Maher appeared to be slurring his 40 percent speech. California has the highest corporate tax rate in the country for most of its businesses at 8.84 percent, although that doesn’t take into account the corporate rate, which is 21 percent for class C corporations, as well as payroll taxes and other business fees.
Maher’s guest, actor and comedian Jack Whitehall, jokingly responded that California’s high taxes are leaving business owners “forced to diversify” from businesses like garden businesses and tea rooms just to stay afloat.
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The comedian criticized California’s taxes on his ‘Club Random’ podcast, saying the state takes a bigger discount than drug dealers. (Damien Meyer/AFP via Getty Images)
Maher has commented on higher taxes in the past, calling Sen. Bernie Sanders, Vt., and other democratic socialists earlier this year said he was tired of hearing about the rich not paying their fair share.
“Last week was tax day… I paid the government, if you add state, property, sales, property, taxes [and] Obamacare, it’s about 60% of my income. That’s a lot, and I don’t care if Bernie Sanders stops saying the rich don’t pay taxes,” said Maher, beginning the “New Law” segment in April.
“And while I’m sure the super rich, with their army of accountants and corporate loopholes, get away with murder, we regular rich people pay a s— ton of taxes,” Maher said.
BILL MAHER CALLS OUT BERNIE SANDERS, SAYS HE’S TIRED OF HEARTING THE RICH ARE NOT PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE OF TAXES.
Maher also called Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, DN.Y., in a different position since 2021, criticizing her for the politically charged “Tax the Rich” dress she wore to the Met Gala.
“It’s not like we don’t tax the rich at all,” said Maher. “I’m all for ending income inequality, but let’s not lie. The rich pay more taxes.”
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“Yes, there are a lot of things we need to fix about the capitalist system. We have capitalists who are ministers in this country, there is no doubt about that. I’m just saying, you wear ‘Tax the Rich’ on your waist and people always say that the rich don’t pay taxes. The rich pay taxes! They pay most of the property anyway.
Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.
