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Politics

Magic Johnson Says He’s ‘Comfortable With’ Obama Raising Taxes, Thinks President Doing a ‘Good Job’ for Small Business

Mar. 9, 2012 8:42pm Tiffany Gabbay

In an interview, entrepreneur and former NBA star Earvin “Magic” Johnson said that he is “comfortable with” paying any tax rate Congress and President Obama decide upon. Johnson said that rather than “worry” about what Obama is taxing him, he is more worried about whether or not small business can still “get a break” while paying higher tax rates. He followed that up, however, by clarifying that he thinks Obama is “doing a good job of that.”

When asked Johnson if Obama’s proposal to raise taxes on America’s wealthy would help the economy, Johnson told The Daily Caller’s Nicholas Ballasy, “Well, you know when you think about raising taxes…and if you’re going to raise it, you’re going to have to raise it on those who can afford to pay more and I think that’s what he’s trying to focus in on. But small businesses, he’s also incentivizing them too at the same time. You know he’s been doing a good job in a tough situation.”

“This economy has been the worst of our time so he’s trying to figure it out; how to work with small business owners and also not just small business owners but women owned businesses as well. So you know I’m not going to worry about what he’s taxing me. What I’m worried about is making sure that if the taxes are going to be higher for those who make over $250,000, can the small business owners get a break and be able to employ more people? And he’s been doing a good job of doing that.”

Ballasy adds:

Johnson’s company, Magic Johnson Enterprises, owns restaurants and movie theaters across the county including Burger King and T.G.I. Friday’s. The company’s capital management division has over $4 billion in developed real estate and “over $2 Billion in committed capital offers a range of financial investment management services that focus on investing in retail, housing and businesses in urban communities.”

Johnson plans to create content focused on “the successes, achievements and accomplishments of the African-American community” on his new broadcast network “Aspire.”

Johnson also said that he would be “all for” having the the federal tax rate raised on him if it meant helping the economy spring back:

“Yeah, well wherever we land that’s what I’m going to be comfortable with. You know I’m right now I just want the economy to come back and if that’s the way the economy is going to come back then I’m all for that, raising taxes on us,” he told Ballasy.

He added:

“I just want those people who we have out of work right now, millions, to be able to get a job and support their families and themselves. That’s what it’s all about right now. President Obama’s figuring out ways, working with his staff, working with CEO’s to try to make sure that happens.”

“I think the president, President Obama’s doing a good job of really focusing on small business owners and making sure that they work, government works with them to make sure they hire people they get some type of tax break and incentivize them for starting their own business or growing their own business so they can employ more people because that’s how the economy’s going to come back.”

(h/t: Nicholas Ballasy/Daily Caller)

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Comments (139)

BurntHills
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:44pm
only another millionaire magic ***** would think obama is doing a ‘good job’

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- BurntHills
  Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:46pm
  now what was wrong with that word, that is the scientific designation for Black, and STILL listed on the census, as Caucasian is designated for White. talk about obama’s poltical correctness washing BLAZE.
  
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BurntHills
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:43pm
2 of our friends with really prosperous small businesses 1980s until 2009 [ in the rural burbs west of Chicago IL ] both had to close last December, obamacare regs and the obama-economy 2009-2011 was just killing them. without counting the owners and their own families, one let go 4 staff, which puts 4 families, over 30 people unemployed. the other one let go 10 staff, so that’s 10 families and over 70 people affected. == and all of them blame one ‘person’ and one party: obama and his obamacommunists.

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- AOL_REFUGEE
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 1:20am
  Of course, Tragic Johnson loves Obama. He’s black. Why even bother asking? Blacks love each other, no matter how stupid they are.
  
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- izzy1127
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 3:17am
  Definitely a black thing. That’s the way it is where I work. All the black people defend him and have no defense. They just try to shut you down by blaming racism. Darn shame a smart man like MJ would still defend him.
  
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- Baddoggy
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 7:24am
  Magic should do well in the great depression that is coming. People go to movies to escape reality. He wont do as well as the gun stores, but as long as he can keep ticket prices low enough that the Welfare recipient can still go to the movies he should do fine.
  He may have to give popcorn away if Obama forces him to buy it for them though…..
  
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- MYHEROISRON
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 7:54am
  Yer comfortable paying more taxes into the most corrupt federal government America has ever known? Well, now yer just a Magic Moron! I’ll never look at you the same way, idiot!
  
  I voted for OBAMMY because he’s … BLACK!!! Wwwaaa!
  
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- MCDAVE
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 9:57am
  As a small business owner I can say the Obama years are the worst I have ever seen … I am Praying for the end of the Obama Administration..
  
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- michael48
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 11:28am
  65 years old…vet 66′-68′…41 years in buss….this is the biggest idiot, in my lifetime, in or outside of the gov. gumba crowd, I have yet to witness…I’m sure the lib’s have additional morons , but none so clueless…you have to assume it’s intentional…any living enity that’s this moronic would be “to stupid to breathe”…
  
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- shirleyandpearl
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 12:21pm
  Obama’s EPA and regulations and taxes are hurting business and private property owners! Mista’Magic only has managers who handle his businesses. Like ninety percent of blacks, he ignorantly supports this worst president because he’s “one of my pee-po”…. to take a quote from Holder. Too bad so many ignorant of all skin colors vote in presidential and congressional elections. That’s what gives us corruptocrats, such as Maxine Waters a free pass because she can scream “discrimination!” if someone were to nail her for extorting funds out of the swindleus for her hubby’s banking affairs.
  
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- SamIamTwo
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 8:17pm
  Hell both are rich black people…so yeah life is great for them. And it is all about Obama and nothing about you the taxpayer…
  
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- ddg7
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 10:45pm
  Many Black Americans for all of their blustering about slavery readily put themselves in the hands of someone who will clothe and feed them as long as they stay on the plantation.
  
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kalli
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:40pm
Never ceases to amaze me how many people lack the ability to think intelligently before they open their mouth and insert foot, especially a liberal.

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- Smokey_Bojangles
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 12:49am
  Does AIDS mess up your brain? Or Is Magic just that out of it?
  
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- M4finny
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 11:30am
  Who said one needs to be an intellectual to dribble and shoot a basketball? The only reason “Magic” got into college is because of his skin color and his athletic ability to help his University make Millions. Earvin Johnson is a brainless dolt, just like almost every professional basketball and football player. Baseball will not be far behind.
  
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- lukerw
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 12:35pm
  CONVERSTATION: Economics? — It’s MAGIC — I’m in!
  
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- Bluebonnet
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 3:50pm
  Well DUH? If I made his kind of money or even a fraction of it, I might not mind my taxes going up a bit either. Funny how this stupid remark makes me lose respect for that MJ. Yep! This prez wants to put us all in poverty and doing a pretty good job of it for last 3 years.
  
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Jenny Lind
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:39pm
Please tell me that men like him are not that stupid, that they actually know what the heck is going on in this country. Is he on a cloud looking down at the little people and businessmen?

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13th Imam
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:28pm
One of O’Barry’s house negros

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- sjohn70037
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 10:44am
  How did you do that 13th? Every time I try to use that word the dumba$$ editors at the Blaze censor it to ******.
  
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- Mateytwo Barreett
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 10:57am
  @john
  Don’t hit the keys so hard! It’s not what you say- but how you say it!
  
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smokey888x2
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:27pm
Magic: Go in business for and by yourself. Put up some of that over-paid entertainment money y o u r s e l f …. not with three or four consultants but do it yourself!! Learn what the hell you’re talking about first-hand. You don’t have a clue about the piles of regulations in doing a small business.

Sit down with some nuetral accountant and have him explain our debt … do some research towards the truth before you shoot off crap like this. I have and you couldn’t be more wrong!

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nobull14
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:26pm
It sure sounds like Magic a moron!!!!! .He should stick to bouncing his basket ball ?

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Silversmith
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:19pm
Millionaires can afford tax hikes. So I guess i’m happy that HE’S happy paying more taxes. The rest of us deserve better.

Silversmith

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wordweaver
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:18pm
Great, thank you, Magic, for that expert opinion from a recognized scholar of the political scene. Let me file that where it belongs – where’s the round file? Oh, there it is – he sees the basket – long shot from three-point land… all net!

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- Tony Sanchez
  Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:58pm
  Good one, lol!
  
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AM-Saves
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:15pm
Can we keep magic Johnson in basketball?
Who cares what he thinks about taxes?
If they value this guys opinion, why don’t they also interview the grease jockey working at the local fast food joint? Aren’t both their opinions just as valid?

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BONETRAUMA
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:12pm
Hey majic,

go shake the std’s off ur johnson. who cares wtf you think…..Like duh??

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spirited
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:12pm
“What I’m worried about is making sure that if the taxes are going to be higher for those who make over $250,000…”

Right. As long as they “the small business owners get a break and be able to employ more people”.

>Really ?

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Common.Cents
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:11pm
Good thing nobody cares what he thinks about taxes or small business.

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Cymry
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:04pm
It is a fallacy in logic to assume that because someone is an “expert” in one area that that somehow “translates” and they are “expert” in other areas. most of hollywood consider themselves to be “expert” advocates based on this fallacy. the same could be said for atheletes and other fame whoremongers. a perfect example of this is mika. brzezinski. because her father was involved in high level us government circles she is the “genetic recipient” of these same talents and can intelligently discuss societal, etc. issues.

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wdvander
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:04pm
Magic Johnson has been an excellent example of a business man who built his fame into a huge business. Now he calls for us all to pay more taxes to support BHO. No more visits to any Johnson owned facilities, of which there are numerous in the Houston area. He just loves Houston now that Anise Porker is mayor.

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- Baddoggy
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 7:28am
  I hope Obama makes him pay for popcorn for everyone who visits his movie theatres. I mean how can anyone go to a movie without popcorn????????? It is the same thing Obama is doing to the insurance companies. He requires them to give free contraceptives….
  
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:03pm
Time for Johnson to disappear from the public life and just enjoy what freedoms remain for now. He will see reality soon enough.

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abbygirl1994
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:02pm
Magic.. the magic is gone.. truly I pity the ignorant, but I would have never guessed it would be you!! Is so obvious you are blind or is it just because he is black and you are black?? God help us!

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- randy
  Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:34pm
  Of course that’s what it is……….. Black on Black Love
  
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Itsjusttim
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 11:02pm
It’s just time for some good old fashion house cleaning.

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Bigrod58
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:54pm
Hmmm….I wonder what Shaq has in common with Obama? It can’t be skin color because 95% of blacks voted for Obama and we were told that that is not racist. What can it be…..?

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- Gonzo
  Posted on March 10, 2012 at 7:07am
  100% of blacks could vote for Obama and he would lose. It is still white people who swing elections, we are still the majority and if we do it again, we’ll get four more years of misery.
  
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JACKTHETOAD
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:54pm
Screw them both.

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sWampy
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:53pm
I’d be perfectly happy if they would stop this guys AIDS treatments, he needs to go, how many people has he doomed to take AIDS treatments the rest of their lives only to eventually die of AIDS knowing they have knowingly given it to others, who will die of it also.

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Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:49pm
How comfortable would Magic be when the ration board decides, you have lived long enough, no more HIV medicine for you. Someone younger needs that medical care.

Wait that won’t happen. He is bloody rich. Just the other HIV poor people will have to suck it up. Hey Magic, give up 90% of all your wealth, move back into the ghetto, and then you can tell everyone to “Give it up for your Man.”

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CatB
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:48pm
What a shock … not …..

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marine249
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:48pm
if you are tall, do you need space [outter space] between your ears

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martinez012577
Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:46pm
What would this guy know about normal people and small business. The people that blindly follow Obama are the same as the sheep that will vote for anyone even if they have the same policies as Obama.

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