In the name of shared sacrifice, it’s time to impose a tax on the $7 billion in box office receipts that Hollywood generates.

I added up the domestic box office activity for the week August 26 through September 1st based on figures provided by Variety. The take for the week for Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Our Idiot Brother, Spy Kids: All The Time In The World, plus 130 other box office leaders was $136 million. Year-to-date those films have grossed over $4 billion.

$7 billion in annual receipts can hire quite a few teachers. 145,228 teachers actually.

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John Ransom

John Ransom

John Ransom is the Finance Editor for Townhall Finance. You can follow him on twitter @bamransom and on Facebook: bamransom.

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pastorial Wrote: Nov 27, 2012 9:33 AM
11/27 grin zone. good morning! hagd.
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NoDemocratMathAllowed Wrote: Nov 25, 2012 4:45 PM
Rather than socializing the medical profession, we should start with a much smaller industry, say media. No one in movies, television or the theater should make more than $1,000,000.00 a year. Okay to defer compensation for up to 5 years. Apply to all positions. No double dipping as producer, writer, cameraman, etc. All income from those industries counted. No giving it away to leftist charities before taxes. Think of all the struggling actors that would be able to find work.
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Jim32222 Wrote: Nov 25, 2012 10:16 PM
Great idea! How much would Rush owe? You forgot to mention radio.
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sgunning Wrote: Nov 25, 2012 2:22 AM
I think you've really got something there, John! After all, they should be willing to put their money where their mouth is. Particularly when the majority of the Hollywood elitists seem to be contributing to the liberal establishment anyway. If they really believe in these numerous causes and political positions, then they should give more by way of higher taxes from their own demographic/occupational tier.
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daddy422 Wrote: Nov 24, 2012 3:14 PM
I'd rather cgi take over.We could still have actors,but fake ones,which isn't all that different then
the real ones.But turn them into stars & they're pay is $0 after they're created.It will get cheaper to
create an entire system of CGI characters & the actors can go to he!!,the techies can get paid,
the cost of making a movie will be reduced & ticket prices come down.It's win,win for everyone,
except the arrogant stupidstars who believe they're superior to the peon masses.
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Ezekiel2230 Wrote: Nov 24, 2012 1:06 PM
I have no problem with taxing "paid" employees making millions in salary. Leave businesses alone. I worked in Hollywood for years.
Here's the underlying problem with the artist crowd. You can talk about the "struggling" artists working as waiters or some other menial job; waiting for their big break. Most of them get their "break" in their early or mid-twenties; they become superstars before their thirties!
They then command multi-million dollar contracts ($5M to $20M) per picture. They "work" a typical 60 days for their time.
The average superstar or even second tier "artist" worked in the real world for less than a decade. Their wealth to time is excessive and they believe all wealth creation is just as easy and instantaneous.
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Marie150 Wrote: Nov 24, 2012 1:35 PM
That could be it.
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Linda234 Wrote: Nov 24, 2012 12:19 PM
Let's not miss the point of this article. The point is that certain people of the population need to soul search and consider that securing more money through more taxes is not a solution to societal problems. The last 12 years are a good example.
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Monica76 Wrote: Nov 24, 2012 10:15 AM
What an interesting concept. The only thing I would add is that the most popular movie stars and producers should also give the chance to the struggling artists and forego their fame for a defined period of time. They should just agree to give the best parts to all the struggling artists and step down for a while.
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Angel56 Wrote: Nov 24, 2012 9:37 AM
If we don't 'fork-over' all our hard earned savings and pay, who else will pay for all the illegal aliens Obama has welcomed into the United States of America... just so they could vote for him. The USA is getting more and more un-united as the days, weeks, and months continue, while listening to "actors"... of which the actual definition of that term is "liars." "O" says it's illegal for states to break away. Not so... for at least one state, which has had that right since they became a state! It may get crowded there... soon! Or, there is "IMPEACHMENT", FOLLOWED BY OBAMA STEPPING-DOWN FROM HIS HOME-MADE PEDESTAL!
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gwharpo Wrote: Nov 25, 2012 11:00 AM
"IMPEACHMENT" ......... It's way overdue and necessary.

Congress, you better wake up to the fact that the people are boiling mad and will soon erupt in your face. No butt kissing, No "ASKING", No sir you will get the education of your life and maybe a long jail term or execution fro your treasonous acts.
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adrianvance Wrote: Nov 24, 2012 12:00 AM
Hollywood actors are liberals in self-defense. They have to appear to be for the "little guy" to avoid the wrath of the masses. It is just that simple.

Come see us at The Two Minute Conservative ( http://adrianvance.blogspot.com ) and when you speak ladies will swoon and liberal gentlemen will weep.
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DoriceMarline Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 11:37 PM
In addition to Matt Damon wouldn't it be nice for George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Eva Longeria, Jennifer Anniston, Sara Jessica Parker and Bruce Springsteen kicked in their fair share. But of course they feel that asking the rich to pay their fair share refers to someone else and they are exempt. Oh well, guess we just keep boycotting the movie industryl
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Marie150 Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 11:06 PM
What we need is an end to political campaigns.

Give each candidate a piece of notebook paper and a pencil. Ask them all the same questions. Have them write compositions answering the questions without any for knowledge of the questions or help. Post their answers online. Everyone gets to read them and then we vote.
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Marie150 Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 11:10 PM
I bet it would be very entertaining.
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Marie150 Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 11:02 PM
What a better country this would be if Hollywood started making excellent movies again. And if Hollywood stopped donating to political parties and started giving to charity's instead.

People donate to politicians because they care about POWER. Not because they care about the little people.
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Marie150 Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 11:03 PM
And wouldn't it be nice if charitable organizations did not donate to political parties either.
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snootington Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 10:54 PM
Hollywood annual revenue: 7 Billion
Financial & Insurance industry revenue: 3,711 Billion

Just for some perspective.

Admittedly the 3711Bn is pre GFC figures (Can't find current ones) but even if it HALVED to ~1800Bn that's a heck of a difference.
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mary anne24 Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 10:04 PM
I haven't been to a movie in 10 years (Other than Obama's America and Atlas Shrugged recently) - I can't stand Hollywood hypocrites.

They spend in a day what I make in a year and then tell me that I should pay more.

But how can we expect them to be anything but hypocritical...They don't want to give up their posh lifestyles. Seriously boycott Hollyowod. and if these spoiled actors want - let them give up all their money and try surviving on $60,000 grand a year which is what I think is the average salary for a family of 4 in the USA.

They can spend that on dinner!!!!


What hypocrites!!
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OBAMA-DRAMA Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 9:57 PM
DAMONIZE HOLLYWOOD

Good idea... however at 90% ... (for the C H I L D R E N)

Better yet.... GREAT IDEA !!!!
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OBAMA-DRAMA Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 9:53 PM
RAY ANCEL...

Which one of Facebook is this clown ???
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Marie150 Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 11:09 PM
I saw his picture. He's homely.
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Lars795 Wrote: Nov 24, 2012 12:12 AM
Is that homely or homi?
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Marie150 Wrote: Nov 24, 2012 1:44 PM
Just plain ugly.
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Marie150 Wrote: Nov 24, 2012 1:45 PM
Go to facebook comments and his picture is proudly displayed next to his name Ray Ankles.
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OBAMA-DRAMA Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 9:51 PM
Is anyone else experiencing cyclic video advertising (restaurants) above with audio???
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rman859 Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 9:44 PM
Why do Hollywood lefties need CPA's if their dying to pay more in taxes?
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Carlos7 Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 9:39 PM

Why do you promote this stuff Ray?


http://toppun.com/Rainbow-Store/Gay-Pride-Pictures/Born-Gay-Follow-the-Ray-Born-Straight-Refuse-to-Hate-Rainbow-Pride-Bar.gif
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Carlos7 Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 9:23 PM
q16penn is a pudgy doughy 40-something homosexual.

Ray A. (his real name) is a slob ... even his facebook pictures smell.

It's sad. He's so nasty, Twitter charges him a cleaning fee.
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OBAMA-DRAMA Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 9:50 PM
Which of the Ray Ancel's on Facebook is this one??
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bigdawgworking Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 8:50 PM
FINALLY!!!! I have been saying this for years. Give them what they ask for. Matt Damon, Tom Hanks, the whole Hollywood left wing crowd says that they want to pay more taxes: well ... LET THEM PAY MORE TAXES!!!!!

If only our R party representatives would think like this. .
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rman859 Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 9:36 PM
Why do the Lefties and Hollywood types have CPA's? Shouldn't they be signing over every other check to the Federal Black hole?
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BIGSKYER Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 11:22 PM
They won't, cause they're spineless and fear that other people will not like them, and then they too believe in the good life that being in Washington provides. Some one mentioned having to subsist on 60 grand a year? It would be an insulting them, to ask our elected Congress men and women to live on that!
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Kevin348 Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 8:35 PM
Use their own arguments against them.

Tax the trial lawyers too at 80%.
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gjmlb Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 8:50 PM
you said it for us both, thanks
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True Conservative! Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 7:39 PM
Townhall ... sybil is running rampant ... again! Time to send a 1000 volt "message" to his keyboard!
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RG_THP_Website Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 7:36 PM
q16penn A.K.A Ray Ancel A.K.A. 'Sybil, has made 241 comments in the last 6 Hours -averaging 1 comment every 90 seconds.

Ray Ancel posted for a long time as 'MyNameIsLegion' - a reference to a Demon that Jesus cast out of a man into a herd of pigs.

There is NO doubt that Ran Ancel is demon possessed.
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Curtis108 Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 8:09 PM
RG... I'd hope that no self-respecting demon would possess him, but considering the nature of both demons and the Mega-troll, that is quite an unreasonable hope, isn't it?
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grannykk Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 7:25 PM
Oh, yeah! Tax 'em a LOT, and then they'll charge us even more to go to the terrible movies they produce. You know the s*** always runs downhill.
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Tired Mom Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 7:47 PM
Granny - we don't go to the movies anymore. Easy fix!
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bigdawgworking Wrote: Nov 23, 2012 8:51 PM
Who is holding a gun to your head to attend the movies? They cannot charge you more if don't buy a ticket.
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