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Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 9:45 am
by vnatale
For me...in terms of believability and support. Elizabeth Warren is in the 60s while Bill Gates is in the 60s....

2 things regarding Gates on Warren:

Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeikleb ... 9e8dca3d02

Bill Gates Objects to Elizabeth Warren’s Wealth Tax, and She Offers to Explain

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/07/us/p ... Position=1

Vinny

Re: Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 12:31 pm
by dualstow
I haven't looked at the links, but I was going to mention Gates in the wealth tax thread since that is what he specifically opposes. Saw his interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin.

Re: Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 1:57 pm
by Smith1776
Some billionaires are worthy targets of scrutiny and even ridicule.

Gates isn't one of them.

The man is using his wealth for insane good, and is pledging to use it for vaccines, saving lives, and helping the poorest of the poor.

Warren is off the mark here. Gates made his fortune by serving society. He started a phenomenal company that delivered software to society that we all needed. Now he's giving it back through philanthropy. And somehow he's the bad guy? He's done more good for society than Warren has.

Re: Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:08 pm
by dualstow
Have to pick on Bernie Sanders a little, too. He tweeted,
Say Bill Gates was actually taxed $100 billion.

We could end homelessness and provide safe drinking water to everyone in this country.

Bill would still be a multibillionaire.
To think that the government would spend the money more efficiently than Gates has been doing fighting diseases and bringing indoor toilets to India - laughable.

Src of tweet. (I don't know the site. It's just what came up when I googled the right quote). https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/ ... ssness-and

Re: Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:23 pm
by vnatale
Smith1776 wrote:
Sun Nov 10, 2019 1:57 pm
Some billionaires are worthy targets of scrutiny and even ridicule.

Gates isn't one of them.

The man is using his wealth for insane good, and is pledging to use it for vaccines, saving lives, and helping the poorest of the poor.

Warren is off the mark here. Gates made his fortune by serving society. He started a phenomenal company that delivered software to society that we all needed. Now he's giving it back through philanthropy. And somehow he's the bad guy? He's done more good for society than Warren has.
Agree with all as stated....

Vinny

Re: Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:24 pm
by vnatale
dualstow wrote:
Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:08 pm
Have to pick on Bernie Sanders a little, too. He tweeted,
Say Bill Gates was actually taxed $100 billion.

We could end homelessness and provide safe drinking water to everyone in this country.

Bill would still be a multibillionaire.
To think that the government would spend the money more efficiently than Gates has been doing fighting diseases and bringing indoor toilets to India - laughable.

Src of tweet. (I don't know the site. It's just what came up when I googled the right quote). https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/ ... ssness-and
Has Bernie ever worked a hard non-government job day in his life? I know the communes he was in complained about him because all he wanted to do was sit around debate rather than doing necessary work that needed to be done.

Vinny

Re: Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:35 pm
by dualstow
I'm sure he's a very hard worker.
He also refused to call Maduro a dictator. That's a show stopper.

Re: Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:44 pm
by vnatale
dualstow wrote:
Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:35 pm
I'm sure he's a very hard worker.
He also refused to call Maduro a dictator. That's a show stopper.
I've never been convinced of your first sentence.

Vinny

Re: Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:58 pm
by Mountaineer
vnatale wrote:
Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:44 pm
dualstow wrote:
Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:35 pm
I'm sure he's a very hard worker.
He also refused to call Maduro a dictator. That's a show stopper.
I've never been convinced of your first sentence.

Vinny
I expect he is a very hard worker; perhaps just not by your definition of hard worker. He obviously likes to work hard for peaches. ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ-PL3UrJRU

Re: Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 7:22 pm
by I Shrugged
The big assumption of taxing is that the government will spend the money to better ends than would the taxpayers. It's so accepted that it is never even questioned.

Re: Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 9:51 pm
by boglerdude
So where are the taxes to feed the orphans supposed to come from, if not from people with 10 yachts

Gates like every other capitalist did plenty of shady stuff. https://www.quora.com/Is-Bill-Gates-evil

Although Id rather roll back patent protections to generate more overall wealth, before searching peoples homes for their gold.

Re: Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 4:37 am
by Libertarian666
boglerdude wrote:
Sun Nov 10, 2019 9:51 pm
So where are the taxes to feed the orphans supposed to come from, if not from people with 10 yachts

Gates like every other capitalist did plenty of shady stuff. https://www.quora.com/Is-Bill-Gates-evil

Although Id rather roll back patent protections to generate more overall wealth, before searching peoples homes for their gold.
So you are actually a socialist.
Let's see you contribute all of your wealth above the median level to the poor.
Then we'll talk about billionaires.

Re: Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 8:06 am
by WiseOne
boglerdude wrote:
Sun Nov 10, 2019 9:51 pm
So where are the taxes to feed the orphans supposed to come from, if not from people with 10 yachts
You're assuming that the government is better at feeding orphans than private charities?

I can think of a few worthy charities you should start writing checks to right now, if you feel that orphans are going unfed because of the lack of a wealth tax. Here's one that immediately come to mind: https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org

Also, you can argue that the guy with 10 yachts has done a lot more for society than a typical middle class person with a median income paying job who spends everything he/she earns and will eventually end up becoming a burden to society. If we punish billionaires for amassing wealth, what does that tell this person about the value of saving? Or should we also devise a method of punishing non-savers?

Re: Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 8:30 am
by dualstow
WiseOne wrote:
Mon Nov 11, 2019 8:06 am

You're assuming that the government is better at feeding orphans than private charities?

I can think of a few worthy charities you should start writing checks to right now, if you feel that orphans are going unfed because of the lack of a wealth tax. Here's one that immediately come to mind: https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org
I like Catholic Charities, too. My dad used to volunteer for them.

Re: Bill Gates Becomes Latest Billionaire To Grapple With Elizabeth Warren

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 9:19 am
by Mountaineer
WiseOne wrote:
Mon Nov 11, 2019 8:06 am
boglerdude wrote:
Sun Nov 10, 2019 9:51 pm
So where are the taxes to feed the orphans supposed to come from, if not from people with 10 yachts
You're assuming that the government is better at feeding orphans than private charities?

I can think of a few worthy charities you should start writing checks to right now, if you feel that orphans are going unfed because of the lack of a wealth tax. Here's one that immediately come to mind: https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org

Also, you can argue that the guy with 10 yachts has done a lot more for society than a typical middle class person with a median income paying job who spends everything he/she earns and will eventually end up becoming a burden to society. If we punish billionaires for amassing wealth, what does that tell this person about the value of saving? Or should we also devise a method of punishing non-savers?
Another very effective charity (1.7% overhead, 98.3% to the needy) is Orphan Grain Train. https://www.ogt.org