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What does this thread prove? So if we provided you with a list of wealthy people who voted for John McCain and that list of people and total wealth exceeded the list you provided, would that debunk your theory? No it wouldn't. This thread is meaningless.
And even if they voted for Obama, does that mean they agree with his fiscal policy? Perhaps they agree with his social policies and stance on war and decided that tipped him in their favor. Like I said, no conclusions can be drawn from this list.
People don't want to admit it but often the public votes for individuals rather than parties. We saw that with liberals voting for Ronald Reagan and conservatives voting Bill Clinton.
This response is directed at both Azriverfan and Puglife. You want to know why i created this thread???? Main reason was to discuss the increasing Wealth-Gap in the United States and why some of the richest men in America are strong proponents of decreasing the current wealth gap.
If either you had bothered to read my earlier post instead of jumping to extravagant and rather ridiculous conclusion you would have read the following ideas and thoughts from me; (all of which are contained in this thread)
Thoughts on the why the current Wealth Gap Exist
"The Wealth-Gap in 1960-1970's was extremely small. However the wealth gap expanded significantly following the Roth-Kemp tax cuts passed in 1981, which spurred the largest imbalance in the wealth-gap. I think these men realize, like many of us, they received some form of collective help along the way in establishing their businesses, whether through public schooling, government grants for education, tax breaks for businesses, and a host of other things, that have collectively helped these men achieve greater success than the general population. I think they are following the lead of men like Carnegie and many of the gilded age billionaires. The new breed of Billionaires feel a civic duty to give back to the country, that helped create their success. There contribution to the American Public help support the ideals and dreams of what it means to be an American. If the wealth-gap is smaller, then the general belief that wealth is an achievable worthwhile goal is supported and more people will follow their dream of building wealth. However, when the wealth-gap increases people stop believing it is such a worthwhile and attainable goal and this creates serious problems for a "civilized" free society."- dorock99 (pg 1 or 2 of the thread)
Thoughts on a becoming a Billionaire and Hardwork
"If like you believe hard-work equaled unparalleled success and if unparalleled success was measured by how many billionaires a country produces, then why do we only have 400-500 or so billionaires in this country?
I'll accept the argument, that hard-work, can lead to a much more comfortable living/lifestyle in America, but if we agree the measurement of unparalleled success is a billion dollar net worth, then hard-work clearly does not equate unparalleled success does it?
Since, this is the case, there are a number of other factors combined with hard-work, that lead to unparalleled success and most individuals in America do not posses or are unwilling to tap those other factors."-dorock99 (pg 1 or 2 of the thread)
Why do Non-Billionaires (Poor, Working Poor, and Middle Class) Argue in Favor of Tax Positions that only support Billionaires?
"Why would you argue in favor of these men at any point in terms of taxation, the chances, that you'll ever be a billionaire or even close are extremely unlikely. However, because we live in America you have a much better chance of being a billionaire than someone in Somalia, but the comparison is relative when you think about it, because only 1/10 (0.01%) of 1 percent of our population has over a billion dollars worth of Assets, so even in a capitalistic society the chances are still extremely slim. (95% of the population will never earn over 150k dollars, 99.99 percent will never be billionaires, yet they increasingly argue in favor of individuals, that do not need or require their help in debate.)"-dorock99 (pg 1 or 2 of the thread)
Thoughts on What I think Billionaires Should do with their money once they secured enough inheritance for future offspring (my personal opinion, they are free to do as they please with their money)
"Once you reach the pinnacle of success you have more than enough money to provide for your children (assuming there's never ever hyper-inflation), so to have a country in which 95% of the assets that increase wealth are held in the hands of a small group of hard-working elite men, is going to create a problem for a "civilized society" and an increasing wealth gap usually leads a society to revolution (if history is any great indicator)." -dorock99 (pg 1 or 2 of thread)
Overall Thoughts and Opinion as to Why Buffet, Gates, and the rest of the Billionaire Top 5 voted for Obama knowing he planned to increase taxes on them~!
"To operate and run a civil society you have to balance all of these goals along with wealth attainment. (while I'm not advocating re-distribution through physical force) We need to have individuals contribute to the next generation of future business owners, innovators, and our countries next great leaders. I think Buffet, Gates, and the other billionaires realize this and are very interested in making sure we remain competitive."-dorock99 (pg 1 or 2 of thread)
How the two of you got anything else out of what i said completely confuses me. If you have anything of substance to add to the Wealth-Gap and why Billionaires supported Obama presidency fell free to add it, but please stop attempting to reference my post without actually reading what i wrote. Puglife I'm not even sure what the heck you were talking about in terms of most of your post directed at me. Hopefully this clarified everything for you.
Many of these super-rich people may feel guilty to have so much. They know that the $ they give away is good PR too. What they give, is not a significant amount if you look at their net worth and cash flow, even though the amount itself maybe huge. Otherwise they would have stopped being so rich some time ago. It's not so hard to give when a person has enough, but put the same person in a desert island w/o food, and he/she would eat another human being if they have to in order to survive.
Regarding electing Obama: he is a liar and an incompetent. For someone inexperienced like him to apply for the presidency of this country, is as irresponsible as if I'd apply for CEO of Boeing. Just realize that to get a job in law enforcement, let's say an entry-level police officer, the person has to pass intensive screening, they look at his/her background, interview his/her acquintances and associates, etc. It's very easy to get turned down. But to be president, the head of the executive branch, there seems to be no serious investigation. It doesn't matter that the wanna-be candidate is a junkie, or befriends covicted terrorists, or are ashamed of your own country you're trying to represent!!! Imagine going to get a job at BurgerKing, and saying you feel BK is exploiting people around the world, and making them sick with their junk food... do you think you'd get hired? Well, somehow Obama believes it's correct for the president of the US to say that the US is a bad country even when nobody is asking him!!! Isn't that stupid? As a country we are constantly negotiating with other countries. Is Obama's duty as a president to represent US, and get the best deal for US, not to put us down!!! Actually, Obama's campaign blocked Oama's college papers from being made public! And he uses the word "transparency"? Well, that was before. He's stopped using that word some time ago. Maybe left-wing people toss those words around together with all the other lies they promise, but they're not really going to do that when they get to power.
When Obama started telling Joe the plumber about "spreading the wealth" Joe should have asked Obama "why haven't Obama done that before? If Obama'd done that as he was falsey preaching he wouldn't have amassed millions, right? Maybe that should've been a red flag for Americans why NOT to vote for him? Let me reccount: Obama was unknown before the campaign, there's no important accomplishment on his record, no experience, hidden stuff in his closet, drug-user, lying right-and-left thru the campaign, asociated to radical people...
Why in the world would anyone pick this guy for anything in a country with millions of people where we have the top, brightest people in the world???
Why did the majority of America vote for Obama? Because if we continued on the course of the Republicans, we would be a third world country by now!
So you think things are better now under the spendthrift-in-chief? You think we are not a third world country, as we continue shedding jobs and the economy remains lifeless?
Trillions given to Big Business with an economy shut down under the onslaught of a Socialist Government. Obamacare dealing the death blow to a lousy health care system. The dollar approaching worthlessness, two senseless foreign wars instead of one. A national debt approaching GDP and no economic engine to pay for it. The Baby Boom approaching retirement with worthless IOUs in the Social Security "trust fund" after the politicians stole and spent the money.
The majority didn't vote for Obama, BTW. Only 56.8% of the people legally old enough to vote did so (231,229,580 people were old enough to legally vote and 132,618,580 turned out). The Annointed One got about 65 million people's votes.
Why did so many people take a chance on undefined change? Two reasons, the first being total disgust with GWB and his senseless wars and Big Government spending. The second, as Einstein noted, is sheer dumbness. "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
1. Bill Gates - Products from Microsoft
2. Warren Buffet - Afflack and a number of insurers and other mid-size businesses
3. Oprah Winfrey - Any product she promotes on her show (that your wife might purchase)
4. George Soros - I'd advise you avoid investing in any fund he may own
5. Pitzker Family - who owns a number of well branded hotel i'd suggest you never sleep at
6. Eric Schmidt/Larry Paige - Google co-founder and their CEO i suggest you do not use them for search
7.Steve Ballmer - please refer to Bill Gates
8.Steven Spilberg- I would highly suggest you never watch any of his movies and if you've purchased any of them i'd suggest you boycott them by throwing them away
9. George Lucas - I'd suggest you never ever watch star wars or buy any item of memorabilia
10. Kenneth Griffin - Financial Hedge Fund genius i suggest never investing in any fund he owns or operates (which tend to offer the highest returns)
Combined Wealth of Just the 11 I mentioned exceeds almost 200 Billion Dollars (not to mention 4 of the biggest Obama supports are in the Top 5 in terms of Richest in the country. He had the backing of the most successful businessman in our country Warren Buffet, what does that tell you?)
Why do you think the two wealthiest men in America have no problem with President Obama's tax plan to tax them more?
What do they understand about the sustainability of our economy, that average citizens clearly do not understand?
What are your thoughts on the wealth-gap and Bill Gates being one of the chief supporters of the super wealthy paying more of their "fair share" of taxes to collectively help out the masses?
These men are all business men who have achieved the Pinnacle of Success in America, they are billionaires, so what do they understand that you may not?
Why do you think Andrew Carnegie gave all his money away to charity upon his death?
Guilt for screwing so many over to get to where they are? Guilt for being at the right place at the right time and the rest is history?
Nothing more, nothing less.
I HIGHLY doubt Angelina Jolie would have all the kids she does if she was on welfare - and sponser charities, etc., - she couldn't AFFORD to be so "magnanimous".
Easy to make millions upon millions and vote for the guy whose party thinks the "rich" ( at $250K) need to be taxed higher. I'd love to see all the above adjust their lifestyles to the lowest "rich" line of demarcation. How'd Oprah do with $250K per year? No more personal chef to keep her skinny? That was an epic fail, so bad example.
What freaking charities would they have money left over in the tens of thousands of dollars to donate to? NONE.
Who cares how these super-rich vote?
They don't live in the real world and 9 times out of 10 - got LUCKY.
Last edited by Informed Info; 10-23-2010 at 11:29 PM..
Why did the majority of America vote for Obama? Because if we continued on the course of the Republicans, we would be a third world country by now!
I think we're pretty close to it.. btw, Buffets net worth is up 20% since Obama has taken the oval office.. Where is all of the liberal crying because Democratic policies are making the rich richer and allowing them to steal from the american middle class?
Where do you think Obamas spending is going to lead us?
Even better question, where do these posters think Obama got the money to spend? It wasnt those on welfare.. It had to be borrowed from those who had it..
Nominee ........ Barack Obama ................... John McCain
Party .............Democratic ......................... Republican
Home state .....Illinois .................................Arizona
Running mate .. Joe Biden ......................... Sarah Palin
Electoral vote ......365 ................................... 173
States carried .. 28 + DC + NE-02 .....................22
Popular vote .....69,456,897.......................... 59,934,814
Percentage .......52.9% .................................. 45.7%
The Republicans LOST. Get over it. Most of the voting people wanted something new. Republicans had their chance. In my Opinion, they blew it. If they want their way, the 2010 Congressional elections is near and the 2012 presidential elections after. they need all the votes they can get.
So does that mean you are happy with the change?
Also, will you accept the change coming in Nov? and hopefully in 2012?
Yes, people voted for him, they hoped, some voted to punish the Republicans, some voted to wash their guilt, some to become part of history, electing the first black president.
Now two years later..... I think that all those who voted against McCain, because he wasn't conservative enough, are eating their vote.
Nominee ........ Barack Obama ................... John McCain
Party .............Democratic ......................... Republican
Home state .....Illinois .................................Arizona
Running mate .. Joe Biden ......................... Sarah Palin
Electoral vote ......365 ................................... 173
States carried .. 28 + DC + NE-02 .....................22
Popular vote .....69,456,897.......................... 59,934,814
Percentage .......52.9% .................................. 45.7%
The Republicans LOST. Get over it. Most of the voting people wanted something new. Republicans had their chance. In my Opinion, they blew it. If they want their way, the 2010 Congressional elections is near and the 2012 presidential elections after. they need all the votes they can get.
I note you didnt discuss the topic of the thread and only went off on a tangent.. Democrat? It wouldnt suprise me at all..
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