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Warren Buffet Giving Away Almost $40 Billion! (1 Viewer)

John Watson

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I raise a lot of points and concerns that seem to be at least as valid as the responses, but to little avail.

I assume I touch a lot of nerves. :frowning:

Well, carry on with the Great Sellebration. But include me out.
 

BrianW

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John, I'm not sure why you think your points and concerns are "at least as valid" when your assertions are unsupported by anything but vitriol, cynicism, and innuendo.

A long time ago, we had a discussion dealing exclusively with Bill Gates' foundation. (Sorry, I did a search, and I couldn't find it.) I participated heavily in that discussion, and I was one of the most outspoken critics of the Gates Foundation. But at least my assertions were backed up with logic and evidence.

And speaking of "little avail", I brought up the point about how difficult it is to give away $31 billion without severely diminishing the value of the gift, but you never addressed it. How would you, personally, have Buffett give his money away? Remember, you must come up with a solution that preserves the bulk of his stock value (say, 85%) as it changes hands and is converted to usable cash.
 

Jeff Gatie

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You haven't even addressed the blatant hypocrisy in supporting George Soros while simultaneously condemning Buffet for doing the exact same (well, legally in Buffet's case) thing to amass their billions.

No need, though. We all know the reason, and it has nothing to do with "points and concerns" and everything to do with political partisanship, which as Holadem stated well, means squat to the dying and diseased. Take comfort on your self-described high moral ground, the rest of the world will thank the Gate's Foundation, and the generous American tradition of philanthropy made possible by the capitalism you so loathe.
 

Michael Caicedo

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I thought Buffet was kind of on the liberal side in his politics? Maybe I have the wrong impression. I'm just asking.
 

Chuck Mayer

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Well, the political spectrum is a circle. And to paraphrase George Carlin:

Anyone to the left of you is a hippie commie, and anyone to the right of you is a fascist pig.

The majority opinion seems to not CARE what Buffet's political opinions are. I join that, and I only care that he is donating BILLIONS to make the world a better place. We could disagree on sports, religion, OAR, and politics...and it won't change my opinion. The man is making a difference. Holadem nailed it. The starving and sick don't want your pity or sympathy...they want help. This discussion is way beneath their concerns.

Buffet is trying to help. That's why he is getting praised.
 

Cees Alons

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The biggest part by far of those taxes happen to be payed by... oh, why do I bother.



Cees
 

Jeff Gatie

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He is, so is Gates. But they are not declared socialists like Soros, so that makes them money hungry capitalists who made their fortunes off the backs of the proletariat. Unlike Soros who did the same thing, but did it with a socialist ideology (and by breaking the law).:D
 

Joe Szott

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Wow, so I'm guessing John won't be back?

As someone wiser than us all once said, "No one drops a challenge in my dojo and leaves, old man..." ;)
 

RobertR

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John is obviously ill-equipped to to defend his anti-capitalist views against the prevailing "zeitgeist". :)
 

Edwin-S

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Obviously, all the defenders of Capitalism here haven't had their jobs outsourced to low wage countries and are, seemingly, secure in the knowledge that they won't be. I wonder if people will still consider themselves "agents of Capitalism" when cheap Chinese software engineers and "White Collars" become the norm and all those high-paying American jobs are outsourced by real "agents of Capitalism" like Buffet and Gates. It is already starting to happen to lawyers and who would have expected that?

So Buffet is "donating" 20 to 30 billion dollars to "help" people.....good for him. Makes him look like a real hero and ensures his name will not be forgotten, since I'm sure his name will be plastered on, or credited to, every project that his money is spent on. But the really big bonus is avoiding all of those death taxes that his estate would have been liable for. After all, we wouldn't actually want to see that money go to supporting the general social and economic infrastructure of America. There is no glory in that and no libraries with your name plastered on them.......just those regular dirty old libraries, schools, and hospitals that require support.
 

MarkHastings

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My company (video post-production) has been having difficulty in the past few years because every Tom, Dick and Harry (with a computer) thinks they know how to edit video on their laptops. That has been taken MAJOR business away from my studio, but I still support the technology.

It's a double edged sword; I like the fact that I can do everything on my laptop, even though that means that it also hurts my business.

And as far as Buffet being a "Hero" or a "Saint", I doubt anyone here would do the same.
 

Ricardo C

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So it all comes back down to "big bad rich guy isn't spending the money the way I, judge of all that is right and just, has decreed, ergo he is just another evil capitalist who's getting rid of $40 billion just to stick it to those who REALLY are in need". Gotcha.
 

Edwin-S

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I would be lying if I said that jealousy wasn't a factor in what I posted. I regret posting the comments about Buffet's donation, since there are worse ways he could have spent his money than donate it to a foundation. He earned it, so he has the right to dispense it in any manner that he wishes. It's just too bad that the money was earned from a system whose success is reliant upon the exploitation and impoverishment of the very same people that these foundations are now set up to help.
 

Jeff Gatie

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Somehow I do not think your "regret" is all that heartfelt. Pay attention to your admission of jealousy, though, for it is a childish, petulant, and paralyzing emotion born from feelings of powerless that most persons should rid themselves of around the age of 14. If everyone would do that, the world would be a better place.
 

Edwin-S

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Think what you want. After thinking about it , I said that I was wrong to post the original comment. It is his money and he has the right to dispense it in any way he sees fit.

I have decided against any further responses to the other points, because any responses will continue to go beyond the scope of the thread. Any continued discussion of the points is just liable to degenerate to a level of personal insults that would do neither me, nor you, any good.
 

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