Do wealthy people owe the 99% something? Should they? (generations, solution, school)
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I believe because it's all intertwined in stocks etc --that affect companies etc can't just do it like lotto money
Bill Gates gives away 64 million Microsoft shares in largest donation since 2000. Gates usually donates around 80 million Microsoft shares each year, and this latest gift means he’s left with nearly 103 million shares. The SEC filing also reveals that Melinda Gates holds nearly 425,000 Microsoft shares.
You cut off and didn't even read the last paragraph of your link, which states that Gates' net worth is still over 80 Billion USD (and the assets of their foundation are rightfully not included in that net worth) after the gift that your link is about.
Your post indicates that you think that if he gave away all of his Microsoft shares by 2019, his will have given away all but a billion dollars. Not the case. The percentage of Bill Gates' net worth held in Microsoft shares dipped below 50% a number of years ago. He has a trust, and he also has an outside investment vehicle....Cascade Investment L.L.C.
Gates and Warren Buffett created 'The Giving Pledge', where they pledged (morally, not legally) to donate more than half of their wealth to philanthropy or charitable causes in their lifetimes OR in their wills. Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Larry Ellison, Michael Bloomberg, and scores of other billionaires have signed the pledge.
There have been some prior years I was in the 1% club in a different state than I now live. I was able to defer a portion of my income to reduce the tax burden. I did not give much thought to federal or state tax.
My gripe was the outrageous property taxes in Republican strongholds. Nothing remotely conservative about municipal spending. Despite the high taxes, First Responders were all volunteers. My husband was one of them. Go figure.
I am a " yes" vote. Having said this, I prefer a flat tax- no deductions. Everyone puts skin in the game.
Last edited by middle-aged mom; 09-22-2017 at 07:51 AM..
America is the land of opportunity. Someone needs to tell the freeloaders what that means.
If you want something, get off your ass and earn it. Nobody owes you anything for your existence.
Free trade agreements often come with legal means for corporations to sue entire countries for passing regulations they disagree with. Simple example: Denmark could pass a law banning a certain addictive to fossil fuels, and if a Canadian corporation that sells fuel with that additive claims that the regulation "is unfair or otherwise hurts them," they can sue the country of Denmark, either demanding a policy change or requiring the country to pay reparations.
So yeah... land of opportunity. One day you might be able to have enough money to wield more political power than even elected officials. Because let's not forget, trade deals are negotiated by the president alone, and they're kept secret until after they've been in place for a while. I mean, if there was a debate, they might actually have to keep the common fold who don't understand the tAmerica is the land of opportunity to say "no" to such agreements.
When the "1%" (which I'll happily concede is a vague term) is no longer allowed to have unelected political power (and once laws passed banning such activity are in effect, any attempt to results in life in prions... this is only issue I take a hard line stance on in criminal justice; few things are as corrosive to democarcy as corporate lobbying power), I'll take this libertarian idealism seriously. Until then, the 1% can pay a **** load in taxes and I don't want to hear their complaints.
I know it varies widely by state. I meant generally re his post. Pedro and I both live in the same metro, and I figured he probably picked the cut off for Texas.
CT at #1 is logical, but I wouldn't have guessed New Mexico at the bottom....Interesting.
There have been some prior years I was in the 1% club in a different state than I now live. I was able to defer a portion of my income to reduce the tax burden. I did not give much thought to federal or state tax.
My gripe was the outrageous property taxes in Republican strongholds.
Excuse me? I've posted an image of my property tax bill on my IL (blue state) home, over $19,000/year:
Blue state property taxes out of control? You bet!
I know it varies widely by state. I meant generally re his post. Pedro and I both live in the same metro, and I figured he probably picked the cut off for Texas.
CT at #1 is logical, but I wouldn't have guessed New Mexico at the bottom....Interesting.
NM would not have been my guess for the bottom, either. I was very surprised by many states.
Excuse me? I've posted an image of my property tax bill on my IL (blue state) home, over $19,000/year:
Blue state property taxes out of control? You bet!
Despite the color of the state, one would think municipalities/ counties with Conservative majorities would do a better job of controlling costs. That has not been my experience.
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You cut off and didn't even read the last paragraph of your link, which states that Gates' net worth is still over 80 Billion USD (and the assets of their foundation are rightfully not included in that net worth) after the gift that your link is about. 
