General Discussion

brett_jv

(1,245 posts)

47. Lame ...

Fri Jul 26, 2013, 02:04 AM

Jul 2013

Fact is, dude could've done any number of less cool things with his money, such as: left it in a foundation directing all his $$$ to the NRA, ALEC, and the Heritage Foundation, or given it all to random no-account cousins, nephews, siblings (nobody really has NO family), etc.

The only difference here is that instead of just handing it ALL over to these charities right now, wherein the people in charge at these places at this moment in time get to decide how to manage/spent his entire fortune for him.

If it were my money, I'd do the same thing as this guy. What he's doing here is making it possible for all these different organizations to have a yearly stipend that is basically never-ending, in order to continue to exist, pay administrative costs, and do the works they're charged with over the course of multiple generations of their elected leadership. Why should he just 'hand it all over' to be managed at the whim of the people presently in charge of those outfits, rather than get to decide, along with the people he trusts, to provide the charities of his choice (ALL of whom I'm sure depend on 'foundations' set up in the same manner for their guaranteed incomes so they can continue to exist) with a basically eternal source of funds?

I think it's pretty friggin classless to blast a dying man who's giving so much to causes that ALL of us would LOVE to see be able to continue w/doing their good works just because you have some 'issue' with the way these types of things are normally done.

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Highlight:

Terminally ill “Simpsons” co-creator to leave entire fortune to charity [View all] octoberlib Jul 2013 OP

What a kick ass guy....I stand in awe Rowdyboy Jul 2013 #1

he understands that money only matters if its used and using it for good makes him roguevalley Jul 2013 #37

+1 tofuandbeer Jul 2013 #45

K & R Scurrilous Jul 2013 #2

This is wonderful. nm rhett o rick Jul 2013 #3

*Tips hat* Hydra Jul 2013 #4

This is an extraordinary thing for him to do and illustrates Luminous Animal Jul 2013 #5

...and the world will be worse without him. flvegan Jul 2013 #6

I love people who walk the walk. applegrove Jul 2013 #7

Now that's how it's done. Lex Jul 2013 #8

A brilliant career, and a beautiful legacy.... alittlelark Jul 2013 #9

Message auto-removed Name removed Jul 2013 #10

Jimmy, have you ever seen a grown man make a pizza? Pretzel_Warrior Jul 2013 #12

Straw man on aisle two! Lydia Leftcoast Jul 2013 #13

repukes would just use it to start unnecessary wars Skittles Jul 2013 #22

Hrm... RudynJack Jul 2013 #48

One his four posts. longship Jul 2013 #54

Nope, no time for popcorn...... Nay Jul 2013 #59

Where can YOU do the most good? Not here, it seems. nt Chef Eric Jul 2013 #55

Hey, you're right! Arkana Jul 2013 #60

K&R caseymoz Jul 2013 #11

Humanity at its best! 58 is way too young. Firebrand Gary Jul 2013 #14

Problem is, what we call "cancer" is actually hundreds of different diseases. nomorenomore08 Jul 2013 #51

So HORRIBLE that he is terminal! What an amazing & generous man! nt DearHeart Jul 2013 #15

God bless this man, truly! Hulk Jul 2013 #16

Marc Maron interviewed him recently krispos42 Jul 2013 #17

If it's the one from May 16th, found it . Thanks ! octoberlib Jul 2013 #21

That sounds about right. krispos42 Jul 2013 #26

K&R MotherPetrie Jul 2013 #18

he's not giving away his entire fortune. he's setting up a rockefeller-affiliated foundation. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #19

You are wrong about that Bluegene Jul 2013 #28

NO. A foundation needs only give away 5% of its total assets every year. Meanwhile, it can HiPointDem Jul 2013 #31

he is setting up foundations that do good work. True, there will be trustees, but so what? KittyWampus Jul 2013 #40

no, *your* post is sickening, & the continued fraud upon the general public by big capital is HiPointDem Jul 2013 #41

Lame ... brett_jv Jul 2013 #47

The entire set of assumptions underlying your post are so counter-factual that it's not worth HiPointDem Jul 2013 #50

If that was his motivation, why not just give it to his friends and skip the 5%? joeglow3 Jul 2013 #66

because just 'giving it to his friends' doesn't serve the same functions HiPointDem Jul 2013 #77

But those individuals pay taxes on their salary joeglow3 Jul 2013 #83

which is why he didn't just 'give it to his friends'. avoiding taxes while retaining indirect HiPointDem Jul 2013 #84

He still has to give it to a 501(c)(3) joeglow3 Jul 2013 #99

has to give 5%/year of the assets. but can also make 5% or more off the assets. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #100

But he doesn't get to keep that money joeglow3 Jul 2013 #101

he doesn't get to personally keep the money in any case, since he's dying. but foundations HiPointDem Jul 2013 #102

And they pay taxes on what they earn as trustee joeglow3 Jul 2013 #103

that doesn't speak to the issue of retention of the principal. i said nothing about salaries for HiPointDem Jul 2013 #104

Wow, you are all over the place there joeglow3 Jul 2013 #106

1. the grammar is just an aside. 2. you weren't talking to 'someone else'. 3. 'tax evasion' HiPointDem Jul 2013 #107

I who never agree with Kitty most certainly do, your post is disgusting and Bluenorthwest Jul 2013 #61

Why is his post disgusting? The only ever time I contacted a charity for help...for my dog, Safetykitten Jul 2013 #71

i call foundations a fraud on the public, and every one of these PR releases about rich people HiPointDem Jul 2013 #78

How/why does he continue to make money off his past work if he's dead? cui bono Jul 2013 #89

He -- or more accurately his estate -- will continue to receive royalties. AngryOldDem Jul 2013 #91

Really? That seems so weird to me. I would have thought after one's death they no longer cui bono Jul 2013 #95

Part of the reason he set up a foundation was so that the foundation could be 'heir' to those HiPointDem Jul 2013 #105

Well in my case, I asked for help. I have never asked for help in anything ever from charity... Safetykitten Jul 2013 #43

They have a mobile free vet clinic in Los Angeles but the emphasis is on rescue Bluenorthwest Jul 2013 #63

I wrote and contacted them after the broadcast on 60 minutes. Safetykitten Jul 2013 #69

It's called "preservation of capital"... SidDithers Jul 2013 #58

Hope he tries eating cannibus, it's helped some folks. AnotherDreamWeaver Jul 2013 #20

The cure for cancer is out there... wundermaus Jul 2013 #23

+1000 DeSwiss Jul 2013 #32

+1 for Stamets WheelWalker Jul 2013 #38

Bingo! +1 for you & K&R for the thread. Egalitarian Thug Jul 2013 #81

Cool. Strawberry smoothies for me from now on! SunSeeker Jul 2013 #87

And every now and then you hear about a 1%er who's a real good guy. matthews Jul 2013 #24

Damn. Sorry to hear of his illness. calimary Jul 2013 #25

A true humanitarian. blackspade Jul 2013 #27

and that bastard was given a new life with some poor soul's heart. tofuandbeer Jul 2013 #46

What else is there to say but... Fearless Jul 2013 #29

Came with no baggage, leaves with no baggage. DeSwiss Jul 2013 #30

"Drew Carey Show" postdates "The Simpsons" ? JohnnyRingo Jul 2013 #33

"The Simpsons" has been on the air since 1989. "Drew Carey" didn't premiere till '95. nomorenomore08 Jul 2013 #52

And Simpsons segments were on Tracey Ullman show before that spooky3 Jul 2013 #65

God Bless you, sir. cliffordu Jul 2013 #34

I take my hat off to you, Sam Simon. hifiguy Jul 2013 #35

Odd. They seem not to care at all about dogs, well...certain dogs. Safetykitten Jul 2013 #36

Foundation capital is directed at particular charities that big capital uses to direct social HiPointDem Jul 2013 #42

True. As I found out. Safetykitten Jul 2013 #44

I'd reply to your post; greiner3 Jul 2013 #62

you don't think you can critique my post without putting your posting right on this site in HiPointDem Jul 2013 #86

They rescue dogs to become assitant animals to Veterans and those with hearing Bluenorthwest Jul 2013 #64

As I remember the website then was different than the one now. Safetykitten Jul 2013 #72

So, because they did not give money to random person who sent them a letter they aren't charitable? joeglow3 Jul 2013 #67

No they are not. Not for me. Safetykitten Jul 2013 #70

Ahhhh. joeglow3 Jul 2013 #73

Kind of like the poster who hated Habitat for not giving her a house. LeftyMom Jul 2013 #108

He has no children Beaverhausen Jul 2013 #39

Good for Mr. Simon. bearssoapbox Jul 2013 #49

I know...it makes me sad when someone does good, but just not in the way other people would do it... renate Jul 2013 #53

Wish he could leave it to Head Start. nt kelliekat44 Jul 2013 #56

Changing my name to Charity in 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . tclambert Jul 2013 #57

PETA is the last group I'd give money to - TBF Jul 2013 #68

How does PETA kill more animals than anyone else? They_Live Jul 2013 #74

Article from HuffPost (graphic warning) TBF Jul 2013 #79

That is messed up They_Live Jul 2013 #92

PETA kills more animals than factory farms? Downtown Hound Jul 2013 #75

Good point - but yes they are killing TBF Jul 2013 #80

Of course they do. If you don't believe in animal domestication, it makes sense duffyduff Jul 2013 #90

Wow, just fuckin WOW. Rebellious Republican Jul 2013 #76

a great man Liberal_in_LA Jul 2013 #82

right on bro! G_j Jul 2013 #85

This just goes to show once again that not all rich people are evil. n/t totodeinhere Jul 2013 #88

Thank you, Sam Simon! raging moderate Jul 2013 #93

Very sad LittleBlue Jul 2013 #94

Wow what a TERRIFIC guy so sad that his life is Raine Jul 2013 #96

What a good man Redford Jul 2013 #97

K&R defacto7 Jul 2013 #98