Do as I SAY, Not as I DO

The Irish Examiner reports that U2 and Bono(pictured with former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill) are furious that Ireland is doing away with its law exempting artists and authors from taxation.

Under the Irish government's last budget, artists and authors can get up to 250,000 euros ($325,000) in income tax free, but after that they pay like everyone else.

The Examiner reports that beginning in June of this year the group began moving parts of their business to Netherlands. The paper said now U2 pays "virtually no tax on royalties" in Holland.

This coming from a man who at the National Prayer Breakfast with President Bush in attendance, in February, quoted the Koran....

"Righteousness is this: that one should… give away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and the beggars and for the emancipation of the captives.’ The Koran says that. (2.177)."

He was trying to cajole, more like embarrass, America into "tithing" an extra 1% of the federal budget to send to Africa.

"To give one percent more is right. It’s smart. And it’s blessed"...."America gives less than one percent now. Were asking for an extra one percent to change the world. to transform millions of lives—but not just that and I say this to the military men now – to transform the way that they see us."

In a bit of irony, Bono is part of an investment group(Elevation Partners) that just sank $250 to $300 million into Forbes Media, owner of Forbes magazine. A magazine that celebrates Capitalism.

Roger McNamee, co-founder of Elevation Partners, responded to the irony this way..."The way you solve poverty is giving people the tools to overcome it."

It just goes to show that U2 can be a hypocrite!