Democratic Primaries

TreasonousBastard

(43,049 posts)

41. This thread is so much fun...

Thu Jan 23, 2020, 05:50 PM

Jan 2020

Billionaires are all evil!

Well, one of my favorites is Andrew Carnegie-- as miserable a robber baron as you will find. OK, not the murderous bastard Jim Fisk was, but bad enough. It was his company that the Homestead Strike was about when the union wanted raise because profits were up and partner Henry Frick offered then a reduction-- take or leave it.

He was also there for the Johnstown Flood.

But, he absolutely believed that one should become rich in order to have more to give away. He said wealth should be distributed, and Carnegie Hall is just one crowning jewel in what he gave away. Carnegie University, Carnegie libraries...

He gave away over 300 million, about all of his worth, and all to good causes. (See what he did with Booker T. Washington)

How do we value a man lie that? Do we destroy what he built because we don't like the way he financed it? Do we tear down the remains of US Steel and ignore the benefits of the industries he fostered or built directly?

He's been dead for over a hundred years, so it's easy to demonize him; but is it necessary? Must we also demonize Steve Jobs?

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

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I just found this out about Michael Bloomberg: He is a "self made billionare" [View all] Stuart G Jan 2020 OP

I'm liking Bloomberg more and more. I won't like him if he hurts Biden too much, but I love how highplainsdem Jan 2020 #1

I also love "how Bloomberg is going after Trump." (your words).. Stuart G Jan 2020 #5

Do recall Bloomberg Wellstone ruled Jan 2020 #2

OTOH, he has almost no known positions. thesquanderer Jan 2020 #3

He has plenty of know positions brooklynite Jan 2020 #8

So then the NYT was right and it was a pretext to avoid hard questions? thesquanderer Jan 2020 #12

I just learned some more about Mr. Bloomberg just now from your post. Stuart G Jan 2020 #11

Not sure about the interview squirecam Jan 2020 #17

He's an actual billionaire, unlike that... dubyadiprecession Jan 2020 #4

From Medford, Mass C_U_L8R Jan 2020 #6

My friends in CA see a lot of his ads ... left-of-center2012 Jan 2020 #7

just to be clear, there's no such thing as a "self-made" billionaire unblock Jan 2020 #9

Tell us all how J.K. Rowling failed to share her billions with others... brooklynite Jan 2020 #14

You might want to read up on the Labor History of the United States. Sloumeau Jan 2020 #15

We're not talking about labor history in general; we're talking about one candidate in particular brooklynite Jan 2020 #16

Good point squirecam Jan 2020 #19

unblock wrote the following: Sloumeau Jan 2020 #22

"anyone who is a billionaire found a way to direct a huge stream of money their way..." brooklynite Jan 2020 #24

I see things differently. Sloumeau Jan 2020 #26

"There's no such thing as a self-made billionaire" brooklynite Jan 2020 #28

You wrote: Sloumeau Jan 2020 #29

J.K. Rowling is "evil". got it. brooklynite Jan 2020 #31

Yes, it is evil when some people have a billion dollars while so many people starve. eom Sloumeau Jan 2020 #32

Did Biden announce a wealth redistribution policy which I missed? brooklynite Jan 2020 #34

Do you think that Biden is a billionaire? eom Sloumeau Jan 2020 #35

No, he's a multimillionaire ($9 M)... brooklynite Jan 2020 #37

I have never met a politician who supported all of my views. Sloumeau Jan 2020 #39

"Billionaires are basically evil" TwilightZone Jan 2020 #33

You wrote: Sloumeau Jan 2020 #36

And there are degrees of stupidity The Mouth Jan 2020 #73

Your last post may have violated the DU terms of service Sloumeau Jan 2020 #78

It is an idiotic idea The Mouth Jan 2020 #98

The modern Democratic Party was built from FDR's legacy. Sloumeau Jan 2020 #99

That is not at all what I was replying to The Mouth Jan 2020 #100

Who, exactly, are you quoting here?: Sloumeau Jan 2020 #103

Your post reminded me of a discussion I had with a friend's husband several years ago. He is very in2herbs Jan 2020 #79

in2herbs, that was a great post. Sloumeau Jan 2020 #89

Thank you. I forgot to add that supportive parents and teachers or mentors are also very necessary in2herbs Jan 2020 #93

He was not talking about labor history. The charge the poster made Blue_true Jan 2020 #51

Income resentment. Yeah whatever, lol. unblock Jan 2020 #43

As for j.k.rowlings, unblock Jan 2020 #44

I have a close family member who marybourg Jan 2020 #27

The finance industry pays rather well unblock Jan 2020 #42

No, she's IT. marybourg Jan 2020 #45

Whatever her role, if she's working at Bloomberg, unblock Jan 2020 #47

Being paid very well is generally thought of as being somewhat more than marybourg Jan 2020 #49

confusing a few concepts. unblock Jan 2020 #59

A business owner can share 80% of net profits with employees, Blue_true Jan 2020 #52

You responded to something in your head that was the exact opposite of his point. PETRUS Jan 2020 #53

No, I did not make an error. Business can be a sole owner, as well as many stockholders. Blue_true Jan 2020 #60

unblock knows what he or she (?) meant PETRUS Jan 2020 #83

you clearly didn't even read my post. unblock Jan 2020 #56

He is just as much a self-made billionaire as you are a self-made person. Blue_true Jan 2020 #61

not sure what your point is here. unblock Jan 2020 #65

I disagree with you that ideas are a dime a dozen. Blue_true Jan 2020 #71

there will always be people who will fund a good idea? unblock Jan 2020 #74

No person that have any business experience will argue with you that scale matters. Blue_true Jan 2020 #81

It is totally possible for him to pay his staff well, provide good benefits, Blue_true Jan 2020 #50

what on earth makes you think i'm making it out to be simple and plain to change things? unblock Jan 2020 #64

Some of your ideas are noble, but they totally fly in the face of lots of history. Blue_true Jan 2020 #77

my experience working with global businesses is that few are as hierarchical as in america unblock Jan 2020 #80

You pointed to European companies having a flatter structure than American Blue_true Jan 2020 #82

FDR, everyone's favorite Dem, was extremely wealthy too compared to the... brush Jan 2020 #66

I didn't say he was evil unblock Jan 2020 #67

"...the concept of a 'self-made' billionaire is ridiculous." brush Jan 2020 #68

none of what you're asking has anything to do with the term "self-made billionaire" unblock Jan 2020 #70

Bloomberg is worth over $50 billion dollars, after giving a lot of it away. Blue_true Jan 2020 #75

FDR was a scion of the then very wealthy (same as today's multi-billion dollar families) Blue_true Jan 2020 #72

Yet FDR himself was a progressive Democrat back then,... brush Jan 2020 #88

The Kennedys. Blue_true Jan 2020 #90

Aren't we talking about FDR and JFK and their progressivism,... brush Jan 2020 #91

The point that I unartfully tried to make is having money doesn't make a progressive Blue_true Jan 2020 #94

I agree with you. brush Jan 2020 #96

I wish he had a better marijuana policy, other than that I have dewsgirl Jan 2020 #10

I wont lie LeftTurn3623 Jan 2020 #13

I can't make him my first choice, but he's a credible option MH1 Jan 2020 #18

And how is that helpful for the average American voter? progressoid Jan 2020 #20

My question randr Jan 2020 #21

Just say no to billionaires Devil Child Jan 2020 #23

There is no such thing as a self-made billionaire melman Jan 2020 #25

...Ok here is an example of "self made"...Let's say you start a business.. Stuart G Jan 2020 #30

The idea that there should not be billionaires is a fantasy. Blue_true Jan 2020 #54

A tautology? PETRUS Jan 2020 #57

My point is that any person that comes up with a unique idea that a lot of other Blue_true Jan 2020 #62

You're assuming some things that can't be assumed. PETRUS Jan 2020 #84

"society's property institutions"? Sounds like an endorsement for socialism, which has never worked Blue_true Jan 2020 #87

You can stop anytime you want, of course. PETRUS Jan 2020 #95

You and the other poster have written several times about the power Blue_true Jan 2020 #97

I don't think you understand what I'm saying. PETRUS Jan 2020 #101

You keep reframing the landscape everytime that I destroy a central claim that you made. Blue_true Jan 2020 #102

Not so. PETRUS Jan 2020 #104

Who did J.K. Rowling screw over on her way to the 1%? brooklynite Jan 2020 #38

I think you're unclear on some things here. PETRUS Jan 2020 #46

On your last sentence. Blue_true Jan 2020 #63

Except there *is* exploitation, and there's no real controversy about that. PETRUS Jan 2020 #85

I can't remember which dues Bloomberg has paid for the USA. patricia92243 Jan 2020 #40

This thread is so much fun... TreasonousBastard Jan 2020 #41

He was born solidly, but middleclass in Massachusetts. nt Blue_true Jan 2020 #48

Did Bloomberg inherit big bucks from Daddy like Fat Nixon? SMC22307 Jan 2020 #55

I use a BBG terminal every day at work. Lucky Luciano Jan 2020 #58

Steyr is also self made. Two billionaires in the race. Both donate to Democrats but only one also Autumn Jan 2020 #69

wow!!! samnsara Jan 2020 #76

Yeah, Bloomberg is a self made billionaire. DemocratSinceBirth Jan 2020 #86

At this point, anyone is better than Trump. MicaelS Jan 2020 #92

There's one thing about Bloomberg that's a big positive. He could buy and sell Trump Vinca Jan 2020 #105

Bloomberg's financial success is impressive andym Jan 2020 #106