Bill Gates is Still the Richest Man in America with $66 Billion

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[citation][nom]jason_1975[/nom]On the one hand, congratulations to them. On the other hand, there's something wrong when so much wealth is controlled by so few individuals, especially while the median income of ordinary Americans has continued to decline in real terms over the last 20 years.To me, these lists always pose the question, how much is enough? At what point do people say, "hey, monetary systems were a great way to get us away from bartering, but it shouldn't be a system that segregates wealth from the majority of the human beings on the planet" . . .[/citation]

for every list of wealthy people, there is always going to be somebody who has an issue with the fact that someone is financially successful. If it's such a problem, why don't you earn a few hundred billion, give it all away to your favorite charities, and see if that makes poor people any less poor. There are many things people do to get poor and/or stay poor, just as there are many things people can do to get wealthy and/or stay wealthy. What do you want them to do, renounce all their wealth just so they can be as pathetic and shiftless as the people your heart obviously bleeds for? Would that really make the world a better place? Do you think wealth redistribution is going to solve the problems of a few million broke bastards who have filed bankruptcy a couple of times, have several illegitimate kids, a drinking problem, chronically unemployed, don't want to work, and manage money poorly whenever they do get it? All the sad stories of loterry winners should be a testament to the fact that just handing somebody a large sum of money doesn't make their problems go away b/c if they knew how to handle money, they probably would have some in the first place. If a person is segregated from wealth, it's most likely they are a victim of their own poor decisions or their family's. Here's an idea, go to the ATM, take out a hundred bucks, and give it to the first homeless bum you see. Go back a day or two later and let us know if he is still standing/lying/pissing in the same spot, possibly $100 drunker than he was to begin with.
 
[citation][nom]dalethepcman[/nom]No Mexico is not part of America, its on the same continent, north America, but this was the "richest people in America" the country, not the continent.Additionally Slim has made at least part of his fortune in a questionable way. He own's virtually all mobile and land line phone companies in Mexico, and charges the highest rates of any country for phone usage in the world.[/citation]

Yeah, we have to assume that they mean the U.S.A., not North America. It wouldn't hurt to clarify, but I'm guessing most Americans (North Americans) assume people mean the U.S.A. when they say America.
 
[citation][nom]jason_1975[/nom]On the one hand, congratulations to them. On the other hand, there's something wrong when so much wealth is controlled by so few individuals, especially while the median income of ordinary Americans has continued to decline in real terms over the last 20 years.To me, these lists always pose the question, how much is enough? At what point do people say, "hey, monetary systems were a great way to get us away from bartering, but it shouldn't be a system that segregates wealth from the majority of the human beings on the planet" . . .[/citation]

Who segregated who? What exactly is "wrong" about unfettered free trade, one person exchanging goods and services, freely, with another? Did Gates use a coercive government law/regulation to earn his billions? No. People, by choice and freedom gave him every penny he has. And something is wrong with this? Funny though how real median incomes decline yet we Americans find ways to fund our latest gizmos and gadgets. The real issue is the debt-based monetary system built upon fractional reserve banking, otherwise known as the upside down pyramid scheme...And the multi-billion dollar welfare checks sent to "too big to fail" bankers and corporations, subsidized of course through government by the every decreasing medium wage taxpayers and other sustainable companies.
 
[citation][nom]beayn[/nom]I agree and I don't. I think people should be able to work their way up and become rich. Unfortunately too many rich people scam, cheat, and step on the backs of others to get there. I don't think Gates and Buffet did that, but it's definitely a common practice among the most greedy people. They gouge customers, stomp out the competition so they can monopolize the market, lie in their advertising, cut corners on product quality, pollute the land instead of investing in clean tech.... and they find tax loopholes to avoid paying billions to the government, which hurts all sorts of social programs.THOSE are the people who control the majority of wealth, and those people don't deserve it imo.[/citation]

I think that people becoming rich is not bad AT ALL, one problem imo is that there is not enough resources in the world for everyone to become rich imo, so when someone becomes richer it kind of hurts other people, like the people who work in fabrics in china or other countries or the people who work in walmart.
And when someone becomes very rich they use resources that other people might use. They also need poor people to make their products and mantain them rich and workers poor by paying low salaries.
The world can't stand an everybody happy world, the system can't stand an everybody happy world nor it wants to.
 
"Bill Gates is Still the Richest Man in America with $66 Billion" The way the context was used we can assume they meant the USA. If you find the definition of america, it states:

Definition of AMERICA

1
either continent (North America or S. America) of the western hemisphere
2
or the Amer·i·cas the lands of the western hemisphere including North, Central, & S. America & the W. Indies
3
united states of america

#3 is the USA.
 
Compare these men to most of the scum in the Middle East who are getting rich from oil (many of whom are now hereditary dynasties), read up on their lifestyles, and their spoiled children and relatives, and all of a sudden you come to appreciate why it is exactly that most people truly admire and respect the likes of Gates and Buffet and others. When was the last time you heard of an arab billionaire not only fund, but actually built up a charity that deals with AIDS, homelessness, anti-discrimination, etc. I never have. But I sure see their golden (literally) lamborghinis...and their casinos and ski-resorts in the middle of the desert.
 
I don't think people are angry at the right things. Having an idea and making your future's are perfectly fine. It's the uneven and unfair rules that have been put into place that by some of those doing so. Things like tax law and investment opportunities are written in such a way that without large amounts of interest free capital your not going to be making any money. You can't invent anything as the big companies will "make you an offer you can't refuse" or just flat out walk over you.

I'm not arguing for taking someone else's wealth, forced wealth distribution is evil, it only ends up benefiting a select few people who are already at the top (those who control the redistribution) and ends up hurting everyone in the process. I am arguing for economic equality when it comes to the law.
 
$45 billion given away, Uncle Sam Lights his cigars with $45 billion! See how many skyscrapers in downtown manhattan $45 billion buys! 45 billion over how many years, How much went to the poor and how much went to the poverty pimp social workers and charity management!
 
[citation][nom]otacon72[/nom]It will never be equal because some people are just smarter then others. Sure there will always be the lucky ones who hit the lottery or something like that but it will never be equal because some people just aren't smart enough to acquire massive wealth.[/citation]

Go back and reread it again. I said equal rules, as in non-preferential treatment to those whom already have money. Currently laws and regulates are setup in such a way that anyone starting has a snow balls chance of making it to the top, yet those whom are already up there are secured in their positions. This is mostly evident in current tax law where if your not making over seven figures USD then your going to get the sh!t taxed out of you. Once over that barrier your tax rates plummet as your source of income shifts, the higher you go the lower the rates become until you get to the point where you can exempt most of your income from taxation.

That's just one example.
 
[citation][nom]drwho1[/nom]With all that money and he couldn't afford a START button on Windows 8.[/citation]
You mean Windows 9 ? 😛
 
[citation][nom]BigWoopsBillions[/nom]$45 billion given away, Uncle Sam Lights his cigars with $45 billion! See how many skyscrapers in downtown manhattan $45 billion buys! 45 billion over how many years, How much went to the poor and how much went to the poverty pimp social workers and charity management![/citation]

Who did your $45B charity donation go to?
 
You know what happens when all the money is in the hands of too few people, the economy takes a nosedive. Most of the wealth of the worlds rich in in stocks, and If too much money is out of the hands of the persons with a high propensity to consume, aka the middle class, the stock market will eventually dive!
Warren Buffett is for the inheritance tax, It keeps the rich from getting all the money, and ruining all of Mr Buffett's investments, same goes for Biil Gates! The rich do not care about the Poor getting handouts, the poor spend all the money that they get, cokes, big macks, etc. In fact the Government tried to cut back on food stamps, but ADM and the Big food intrests stopped that fast, they make loads of money on food!
 
Yes, they could afford a start button, and what about that train wreck Visual Studio 2012 express for the windows desktop. God at the amount of stuff that got installed along with VS 2012 exp for win desktop!
Intellisence is full of bugs! the software registration did not work, took a long time to uninstall! Final version My A$$.
 
[citation][nom]drwho1[/nom]With all that money and he couldn't afford a START button on Windows 8.[/citation]
If he had only saved a few pennies by not allowing Microsoft to not come up with that blocky interface, formerly known as Metro UI...
 
Give billions to charity. Still richer then the Jobs family.
[citation][nom]drwho1[/nom]With all that money and he couldn't afford a START button on Windows 8.[/citation]
Bill Gates is no longer in charge of Microsoft and has no say over Windows 8. It's even been roumourd that Bill does not like the metro UI. I wish he would come back and save MS from the mess Baulmer put them in.
 
I applaud Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffett. They achieved the ability to use both sides of their brain, thereby escaping this ridiculous reality we allow to be created for us by those types that lock us into the stress-filled world they create for us and when occasionally discovered for what they really are escape with their hundred million dollar severence and a slap on the hand. We also have to wake up to the fact that we are being spoon fed crap, but that involves taking responsibility for ourselves and think for ourselves and that involves evolving, not revolving...
 
I applaud Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffett. They achieved the ability to use both sides of their brain, thereby escaping this ridiculous reality we allow to be created for us by those types that lock us into the stress-filled world they create for us and when occasionally discovered for what they really are escape with their hundred million dollar severence and a slap on the hand. We also have to wake up to the fact that we are being spoon fed crap, but that involves taking responsibility for ourselves and think for ourselves and that involves evolving, not revolving...
 
[citation][nom]dalethepcman[/nom]No Mexico is not part of America, its on the same continent, north America, but this was the "richest people in America" the country, not the continent.Additionally Slim has made at least part of his fortune in a questionable way. He own's virtually all mobile and land line phone companies in Mexico, and charges the highest rates of any country for phone usage in the world.[/citation]

if you are going to say america is different than north america than it is easy to argue that america is also different than the united states of america. It is easy to see how other members of the americas think we are cocky when we assume that america means only the USA.
 
This is such bs. Let's not forget the private owners of the Federal Reserve. Let's not forget the Rockerfeller family and Rockerfeller Foundation and the many generations of that family. These players make Bill Gates look poor in comparison.
Bill Gates is the richest public figure.
 
and yet USA dept is near 16 trillions (so those 45 billions are just a joke)... Combine microsoft, google, apple and so on - still just a funny little part of global debt...
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
 
So you folks confused by America, are you also confused by the names Windows and DOS? After all, we have MS Windows, X Window, Open Windows as well as MS DOS, Apple DOS / Pro DOS, Amiga DOS, Tramiel DOS, etc.
 
[citation][nom]beayn[/nom]I agree and I don't. I think people should be able to work their way up and become rich. Unfortunately too many rich people scam, cheat, and step on the backs of others to get there. I don't think Gates and Buffet did that, but it's definitely a common practice among the most greedy people. They gouge customers, stomp out the competition so they can monopolize the market, lie in their advertising, cut corners on product quality, pollute the land instead of investing in clean tech.... and they find tax loopholes to avoid paying billions to the government, which hurts all sorts of social programs.THOSE are the people who control the majority of wealth, and those people don't deserve it imo.[/citation]

If everybody practiced the Golden Rule, we wouldn't have a problem. But ... such is humanity.
 
Bil Gates, never ever again donate computers to libraries, they will just lock the computers down and only use them for search and limited internet! If you want to get poor kids learning computers build computer learning centers and staff them with one or two professionals and the rest College workstudy students. Inside the centers have the resources to teach electronics ( building computers from available parts) and software (all things programing) to A+ certification (software + hardware). Donating Full featured computers to libraries was a waste of a good computer!
 
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