Why Is Phil Mickelson Apologizing?

Mandeville, LA – Exclusive Transcript – Why was that a big mistake?  A citizen that is actually impacted by the tyranny and confiscation of wealth so it can be redistributed by an out-of-control, despotic government and he is the one that has to apologize?  He is the one that has to take it back?  No, sir.  No, Phil, you are in the right.  You’re an actual recipient of the benevolence of your kind, magisterial, all-knowing, all-seeing governments of California and the United States.  This is exactly what self-government is supposed to be about. Check out today’s transcript for the rest…

Begin Mike Church Show Transcript

Mike:  AG, the story of Phil Mickelson – speaking about getting off the subjects that matter because nobody cares if you talk about them anyway.  You saw the story about how Mickelson slipped up and said he was not going to invest in the Padres baseball team because of tax policies in the State of California and the federal government that are aimed at him?  Apparently there was blowback on this. Phil, it’s not that he doesn’t do enough good, it’s not that he hasn’t started with his wife and foundation to try to help schools out with science and math and what have you.  None of that matters.  He dared to raise his mighty voice against an out-of-control, tyrannical government.  What did he get in return?  [mocking] “You need to shut up.  You and Mike Church need to shut up.  No one cares about your tax fight, Phil.”

So Mickelson, tongue firmly planted in cheek, had to then go and basically take it all back.  Mickelson said, “I think I’m going to learn my lesson and get a wedge and get it back in play.  I made a big mistake talking about this stuff publicly, and I shouldn’t have done that.”  Why was that a big mistake?  A citizen that is actually impacted by the tyranny and confiscation of wealth so it can be redistributed by an out-of-control, despotic government and he is the one that has to apologize?  He is the one that has to take it back?  No, sir.  No, Phil, you are in the right.  You’re an actual recipient of the benevolence of your kind, magisterial, all-knowing, all-seeing governments of California and the United States.  This is exactly what self-government is supposed to be about.  You’re supposed to be able to protest mightily when it does things that you believe injure your safety and happiness.

[reading]

About the only thing missing from the Winged Foot story was the repeat of his most memorable line that day: “I am such an idiot.”

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AG:  Not bad making $48 million, which I guess spurred the apology again yesterday, which he directed directly towards those that are unemployed or living paycheck to paycheck.

Mike:  Mickelson, though, has not just walked into this fortune.  He has brothers.  His brother doesn’t make $48 million a year.  Isn’t his brother a teaching pro?

AG:  Not positive.  I know Tiger kind of weighed in on it.  He didn’t get into the weeds but he agreed with him and made the comments as to why Tiger moved to Florida 15 years ago or so just because of the state income tax.  With Phil failing to purchase the Padres as part of an investment group last year, whether Phil moves to a state like Texas — which Rick Perry tweeted out to Phil he would welcome him in Texas — or a state like Florida with no state income tax as a possibility.

Mike:  Why should Phil apologize because he has amassed some wealth and he wanted to invest it in the San Diego Padres, and apologize to people that are unemployed.  Last time I checked, the people that serve the peanuts, the beer, the hot dogs, and park the cars at Padres games are the kind jobs that many of those that are unemployed, if the Padres were to enhance their station in life, may then find a job because of his investment.  He’d only invest the money so that it could be used in some manner or form of productive service.  If he did that, then the unemployed may have access to employment.  This is so silly.  Who was it that sniped at him?  I didn’t read the first part of the story.  Who was it that told him he needed to shut up?

AG:  It seemed as if there was a lot of backlash from writers, that rich, out-of-touch persona or stereotype that goes along with a lot of athletes that complain about the tax rates.  Particularly in Phil’s case, in California, where the voters passed the Proposition 30 in November which raised the state income tax on millionaires from 10.3 percent to 13.3 percent, was seen as the tipping point for Phil.  You do get the out of touch, you made $48 million last year and you’re complaining about a three percent raise in state income tax.  I guess that’s what spurred it.

Mike:  That’s a 33 percent increase for him.  If it was nine or ten percent and it raised to thirteen, that’s 33 percent for him.  That’s only three percentage points on the board, but for him that’s a 33 percent tax increase.  Would anyone else consent to a 33 percent tax increase out of what your pay is that you take home?  Again, it’s not as though Phil Mickelson doesn’t earn what it is that his wealth is.  Of course, a lot of that comes from endorsements and not from playing golf, but that’s the world we live in, isn’t it?

AG:  That it is.  It’s interesting to see that one of his main sponsors is the tax audit firm, KPMG.  See if they can figure out some workaround for Phil.  It’s interesting.  He’s a born and raised California kid.  We’ll see if he moves to a more tax-friendly, warm state like Texas or Florida to continue.

Mike:  Phil, you’re welcome in Louisiana anytime.  Governor Jindal is trying to eliminate the income tax.

End Mike Church Show Transcript