“U.S. billionaires have collectively become $1.1 trillion – nearly 40 percent – richer since mid-March [2020]. Forty-six people have also joined the ranks of billionaires since March 18, 2020, the week after the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic.”
This from CNN. Currently the Senate is arguing over a $1.9 trillion bill that would help bring us out of the pandemic economy, create jobs for regular Americans, keep individuals and small families from losing their homes and going on to food stamps and much more. Republicans say it’s too big. Do I need to reiterate that what U.S. billionaires have personally made in the last 11 months would cover 65% of it (note that they’d still have all the money they had before the pandemic); and with those newly minted billionaires, plus the other stupidly wealthy Americans, could easily cover this thing. How is it too much for the whole nation if it’s not enough for the chosen dozens?
We’ve lost touch with money in this nation. We have so many people with billions and hundreds of millions of dollars, and yet millions on food stamps. Those with the billions tend to associate with one of our political parties that seems to think that is perfectly fair. Remember that their wealth is the nation’s wealth. All of our wealth is the nation’s wealth. That is always true in a decent society, and so the question, of course is how much should those with everything share with those who have little or nothing? We need to make sure that those who do amazing things be compensated and suck up to the fact that we will always have some very wealthy and some not. The “nots” should have good lives, and the hard-working rich should have more.
How much more?
Hand me a billion dollars, and I will pay the taxes, keep five million for myself, and give the rest away. I’ve brought that up with multiple people and they all agree they’d do something similar. One said, I’ll give 90% away. He’d be left with $100,000,000.00. Why does anyone, or better yet, how can anyone sit on obscene amounts of wealth, knowing the suffering in the nation and around the world? What stops them from wanting to do amazing and wonderful things? I know they tend to love owning amazing and wonderful things. How much is enough? Somewhere in the Bible it says something about “To whom much is given, much is expected.” “Don’t give me that do goody-good bullshit.”
My mechanic works as hard or harder than 90% of those billionaires.
This is old. But it deserved the light of day.
Luke Soiseth 