‘It Beats Pitchfork Rebellions and the Guillotine’: Why These Super-Rich Americans Are Asking For Higher Taxes

TIME
by Philip Elliott
April 15, 2026
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4 min read

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Patriotic Millionaires protested on Tax Day, advocating for higher taxes on the ultra-wealthy.

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The group Patriotic Millionaires conducted a protest on April 15, also known as Tax Day, using a mobile billboard near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., to advocate for higher taxes on the ultra-wealthy. The billboard featured Jeff Bezos and displayed messages like "Congratulations! You won capitalism! Now pay your damn taxes." This action was part of a two-day policy meeting where the group, including members like Abigail Disney and Morris Pearl, lobbied lawmakers such as Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Sen. Ed Markey. Chuck Collins, an inequality foe, argued that taxation is a "nice compromise" that "beats pitchfork rebellions and the guillotine." Despite gaining face time with like-minded Democratic lawmakers, the group faces a tough sell in a federal government controlled by Republicans and led by President Donald Trump.

What's Being Done

The group lobbied lawmakers like Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Sen. Ed Markey during a two-day policy meeting.

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