France's Jean-Marc Ayrault slams flight of the 'greedy rich'

[WestVirginiaRebel]

UK Telegraph:

France's prime minister has slammed wealthy citizens fleeing the country's punitive tax on high incomes as greedy profiteers seeking to "become even richer".

Jean-Marc Ayrault's outburst came after France's best-known actor, Gerard Dépardieu, took up legal residence in a small village just over the border in Belgium, alongside hundreds of other wealthy French nationals seeking lower taxes.

"Those who are seeking exile abroad are not those who are scared of becoming poor," the prime minister declared after unveiling sweeping anti-poverty measures to help those hit by the economic crisis.

These individuals are leaving "because they want to get even richer," he said. "We cannot fight poverty if those with the most, and sometimes with a lot, do not show solidarity and a bit of generosity," he added.

"Thankfully, few are seeking exile to exempt themselves from being in solidarity with fellow Frenchmen."

Announcing plans to spend up to 2.5 billion euros by 2017 to help the poor, Mr Ayrault said that poverty affected 12.9 percent of the population in 2002 and rose to 14.1 percent in 2010.

France's Socialist President Francois Hollande, who famously once declared "I don't like the rich", has pledged to tax annual income of more than one million euros per year at 75 percent.

David Cameron controversially pledged to "roll out the red carpet" for any French residents trying to flee the massive tax hike.

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Would you like some cheese with that French whine, mon ami?

[clearvision]

Coming to a country near you soon....

[Argyle58]

To quote Thomas Sowell: "I don't understand how I am greedy to want to keep my own money, but it is not greedy for someone else to take it from me".