General Discussion

OneGrassRoot

(23,954 posts)

83. Personally, I don't believe they are THE...

Fri Mar 13, 2026, 10:41 AM

Mar 13

problem. But their existence is part of our systemic problems.

I don’t care if someone thinks I’m mentally lazy or any other shade, it’s not a positive development that the number of billionaires increase as poverty also increases. I don’t focus on the individual billionaires as many here are doing, as far as their attributes and contributions, though I certainly appreciate a Soros over a Musk. The fact that such a status is proliferating makes more Musks possible, which is why I think the most helpful things progressive-minded billionaires can do is work to change the system even if it means removing themselves from that status.

I realize nothing is black or white but it’s a concrete and symbolic action that could shift things in a meaningful way.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

142 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

There are no ethical billionaires. I said it. [View all] Coventina Mar 12 OP

Amen to that! Obscene Wealth is a symptom of Sociopathic Wealth Hoarding Tim S Mar 12 #1

I agree - plus as the Epstein files show us it gives them a sense of invulnerability OhioBlue Mar 12 #2

American was greatest when the highest multigraincracker Mar 12 #3

Not if you were Black, or a woman, or LGBTQ misanthrope Mar 12 #5

At what time was it greater? multigraincracker Mar 12 #7

The Eisenhower presidency up into JFK yellowdogintexas Mar 12 #70

White men didn't have to compete against women or African-Americans for higher-paying jobs Jose Garcia Mar 13 #108

There were MANY deductions. No one paid 90%. Callie1979 Mar 12 #64

That's why we need a wealth tax for the top 10%. multigraincracker Mar 12 #65

Ugh. We're just never gong to learn. Callie1979 Mar 12 #67

Federal income tax rates are marginal tax rates Soul_of_Wit Mar 13 #110

Couple it with citizens united and away goes democracy. efhmc Mar 12 #4

If it keeps on raining... OC375 Mar 12 #6

George Soros? Grim Chieftain Mar 12 #8

Well, he's not meeting his payroll obligations....... lastlib Mar 12 #22

Sorry, I'm unaware of this Grim Chieftain Mar 12 #27

A joke, I think? MadameButterfly Mar 12 #30

Neither have I. What was it $20 an hour we were all supposed to be getting yellowdogintexas Mar 12 #71

Right? ck4829 Mar 13 #92

I was going to say the same. But I looked him up to make sure there wasn't some obvious MadameButterfly Mar 12 #29

My county's District Attorney was helped by Soros group LetMyPeopleVote Mar 13 #112

Greed is a serious sickness.. Escape Mar 12 #9

Robert Mercer once said... GiqueCee Mar 12 #21

I would agree. No one should have that much money and wealth. AllyCat Mar 12 #10

If I had a million dollars, I could live quite comfortably Dr. T Mar 12 #11

Nothing is more pathetic, and dangerous than a person who is worth billions wanting more. patphil Mar 12 #12

I only know of one Bev54 Mar 12 #13

She is the exception to the statement. TNNurse Mar 12 #15

number one giver? mountain grammy Mar 12 #19

yeah but watch out MadameButterfly Mar 12 #32

Oh I agree mountain grammy Mar 12 #46

Yet he was our best Mayor since at least Fiorello LaGuardia Polybius Mar 12 #72

That's a sweeping and vague comment that some will disagree with MadameButterfly Mar 13 #77

I didn't like "Stop & Frisk either, in fact I hated it Polybius Mar 14 #118

My main issue with Bloomberg was the defeat of Mark Green by oligarchy MadameButterfly Mar 15 #119

Well, not 40 years ago Polybius Mar 16 #134

Oops about the dates MadameButterfly Mar 16 #135

Melinda Gates and Jobs widow they are giving Tree Lady Mar 12 #38

Abigail Disney Amaryllis Mar 13 #107

Well, maybe not all Fiendish Thingy Mar 12 #14

Warren Buffet is probably on the good list. lastlib Mar 12 #24

i understand Epstein is why Melinda got out MadameButterfly Mar 12 #33

That and his affairs. summer_in_TX Mar 13 #73

Buffett denies climate science i.e. is a liar for money . . . hatrack Mar 12 #37

Thanks for the heads up MadameButterfly Mar 13 #74

Isn't the question how he made the billions? dpibel Mar 12 #58

Buffett is clearly on the good list LetMyPeopleVote Mar 13 #113

Buffett is a good billionaire LetMyPeopleVote Mar 18 #136

Apparently they should also be done away with. Callie1979 Mar 12 #25

"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime". SharonAnn Mar 12 #16

Or an inheritance MadameButterfly Mar 12 #36

... that came from a crime. ck4829 Mar 13 #100

I think there are some that are ethical, just not enough. And I agree that billionaires should not be allowed to exist, Fil1957 Mar 12 #17

Or at least they should be taxed enough MadameButterfly Mar 12 #34

Good people are not billionaires. n/t iscooterliberally Mar 12 #18

George Soros, Paul McCartney, MadameButterfly Mar 12 #39

I'm not so sure that anyone on your list is actually a good person. iscooterliberally Mar 13 #84

George Soros has donated 32 billion and still has 7.2 billion MadameButterfly Mar 13 #90

Without question. N/t librechik Mar 12 #20

Hopefully the Democratic Party doesnt make that opinion a platform of the Party. Callie1979 Mar 12 #23

I agree--we don't need this fight in actual elections MadameButterfly Mar 12 #35

Yes! Getting rid of unfair tax breaks, untaxed income, etc. Things MANY would get behind Callie1979 Mar 12 #63

Did I miss something? dpibel Mar 12 #59

I refer you to post #31 & others. Lots WANT it to be a part of the platform Callie1979 Mar 12 #66

I do not see "platform" or any remote synonym dpibel Mar 12 #68

You dont get it. Most DUers are "workers". They participate. They contribute. Callie1979 Mar 13 #80

Weird though how billionaires poisoning politics will cause us to lose Democracy though ck4829 Mar 13 #97

What do you think are the top 3-4 reasons we lost in '24? Callie1979 Mar 13 #104

Dark money is up there ck4829 Mar 13 #114

Thats just ONE. And while I think we need controls, I just dont see MONEY changing votes. Callie1979 Mar 13 #115

Advertising in the low-information voter age? dpibel Mar 15 #128

I'm in a swing state. I saw tons of ads from both. Total spend wasnt much different. Callie1979 Mar 16 #131

The answer ck4829 Mar 16 #132

Not the point dpibel Mar 16 #133

Shakespeare Amendment: lastlib Mar 12 #26

You don't need to kill them, just take away their money. LudwigPastorius Mar 13 #75

JB Pritzker, Governor of Illinois. greatauntoftriplets Mar 12 #28

How sad that not everyone agrees... OneGrassRoot Mar 12 #31

You don't think JB Pritzker and Tom Steyer are reliably on our side? Seriously? ancianita Mar 12 #42

I prefer Steyer stay out of the governor's race until he gets some experience. MadameButterfly Mar 12 #44

You need to take a closer look at him, imo. Just what is your standard for "enough" political experience? ancianita Mar 12 #47

They perpetuate the system... OneGrassRoot Mar 13 #82

George Soros has given away the overwhelming majority of his wealth MadameButterfly Mar 12 #43

That's fair, but please note... OneGrassRoot Mar 13 #88

And to add... OneGrassRoot Mar 13 #89

Fair enough but MadameButterfly Mar 13 #102

Well said -- totally agree blubunyip Mar 18 #137

Off the top, JB Pritzker is an ethical billionaire. You don't want him allowed to exist? What does that even mean? ancianita Mar 12 #40

greed is a public health issue... mike_c Mar 12 #41

I agree Mysterian Mar 12 #45

Anti-billionaires here are too broad brush. The mentality of throwing out the baby with the bath water is ancianita Mar 12 #48

ZZZZZzzzzzzz.......... Mysterian Mar 12 #55

Brava, giusto. DFW Mar 12 #57

That rhetoric is beneath you dpibel Mar 12 #60

Anyone who alerts your post is an idiot. You stated an opinion not an insult. Callie1979 Mar 13 #106

Riiiiggghhht... wealth hoarders are the exact same as ethnic groups Mysterian Mar 12 #69

Personally, I don't believe they are THE... OneGrassRoot Mar 13 #83

Equating blubunyip Mar 18 #140

"ethical billionaire"... good one ck4829 Mar 13 #93

Well said. I wish more would listen. Callie1979 Mar 13 #105

People collect cats and newspapers and get called hoarders. Do it with cash and you're a "genius" ck4829 Mar 13 #95

Charlie Munger's son almost single handidly Buddyzbuddy Mar 12 #49

+1. Good to know ck4829 Mar 13 #96

A very wealthy man once told my co-worker that "the problem with you, is that you don't know how to FUCK people." nt Evolve Dammit Mar 12 #50

Absolutely! debsy Mar 12 #51

One hundred percent. BlueTsunami2018 Mar 12 #52

I would go with severe regulation. Permanut Mar 12 #53

Regulation doesn't do any good if it can simply be taken away. BlueTsunami2018 Mar 12 #54

Roger that.. Permanut Mar 12 #56

For real ck4829 Mar 13 #98

And what is the superior economic system you would replace it with? EX500rider Mar 18 #138

Might we separate "what they do" and "how they got it"? dpibel Mar 12 #61

Excellent distinction. Thank you. n/t OneGrassRoot Mar 13 #86

"is value extracted from others, and frequently in ways that are less than ethical." EX500rider Mar 18 #139

Right, it's the essential question-- blubunyip Mar 18 #141

Agreed duckworth969 Mar 12 #62

The road to hell on earth is paved with greed. Dave Bowman Mar 13 #76

what do you think of Mark Cuban Skittles Mar 13 #78

While I generally agree with your premise; markodochartaigh Mar 13 #79

"Too much power makes people sick in the head " summer_in_TX Mar 13 #81

Wow, that is good. ck4829 Mar 13 #99

Antonia Scaton is a protege of George Lakoff. I'm a big fan of her work. summer_in_TX Mar 14 #117

They have their own highways,airports malaise Mar 13 #85

this thread is hilarious WhiskeyGrinder Mar 13 #87

None. ck4829 Mar 13 #91

Greed is God moondust Mar 13 #94

Yup! All they do is hoard wealth and weaponize it against us! Initech Mar 13 #101

Yep and Faux pas Mar 13 #103

Matthew 19:24 CapnSteve Mar 13 #109

There are some ethical billionaires LetMyPeopleVote Mar 13 #111

Time will tell blubunyip Mar 18 #142

Pritzker? Mackenzie Scott? There are Luciferous Mar 14 #116

Message auto-removed Name removed Mar 15 #120

Here we go again ... TBF Mar 15 #121

Post removed Post removed Mar 15 #122

So much anger...typical of Trumpers. surfered Mar 15 #123

Message auto-removed Name removed Mar 15 #125

And your point is...? GP6971 Mar 15 #124

Welcome to DU, MarineCombatEngineer Mar 15 #126

AaNnDd the MAGAt troll is gone, MarineCombatEngineer Mar 15 #129

could it be the notorious denizen of the library stacks once more? NewHendoLib Mar 15 #127

It's a GIRL that likes the LIBRARY. nt MarineCombatEngineer Mar 15 #130