Should billionaires exist?

@divegeester said
That's a practical line not a moral line.

you mentioned morality in your OP so I asked where you drew the moral line.

There should be no billionaires, that's my answer. Nobody should own more wealth than they could spend in 10 lifetimes and especially not while people are starving.

@zahlanzi said
Let's arbitrarily put it at 1billion. A six percent tax on wealth over 1 billion would have Bezos's obscene wealth naturally decrease over time and would probably take about 5 generations of bezoses juniors to go below that 1 billion line. With that, americans would get healthcare, college debt pardon and free college education. Perhaps fewer poor americans would join the ma ...[text shortened]... lionaires into smaller and smaller billionaires isn't working out, we can go back to the old system.

“Let’s”. Let us. Who is us.? ‘Us’ is going to knock on a billionaire’s door and demand he get small?

And I love ‘we can go back to the old system!!!!!!!!😄😄😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂. Mott, may I use one of your “IDIOT!” Here?🤔🤔🤔

By ‘we “ do you mean the govt? Going back to the way it is right now, and has been for 240 years? Just trying a little experiment?

@kazetnagorra said
Yes, every society in the developed world except the U.S. has universal health care coverage, and I don't think Americans are too stupid to pull it off as well.

Of course you are free to prefer your countrymen to continue dying easily preventable deaths.

But if you asked a roomful of folks what country is considered the greatest country that has ever existed ( not what THEY think it is, I mean what they think the World View is) the answer would be USA. So, what’s going on here?

@zahlanzi said
There should be no billionaires, that's my answer. Nobody should own more wealth than they could spend in 10 lifetimes and especially not while people are starving.

Zahlanzi. Zahlanzi. Pitiful. And after that, when all of em are capped, you gonna go for the millionaires? You will have to, you know. Your social and economic that you are targeting will need them too!

@yo-its-me said
That was interesting, thank you Zahlanzi. I don't know if Anands statistics were true, but if they were and taxing billionaires probably would mean a better life for everyone, then that's great. They still need to exist though, to be taxed.
In the UK there are 151 billionaires (I have no way of fact checking, but I'm assuming the BBC got that responsibly). The rise in the ...[text shortened]... the really poor, the living in poverty numbers increasing continuously.
Should money itself exist?

"They still need to exist though, to be taxed."
If billionaires wouldn't exist, we would have distributed enough wealth to provide a home for everyone in the world, feed them and eradicate most third world diseases. If that were the case, fine, you have your yachts and all the caviar and truffles you could, mr ex billionaire. someone with 900 million still can't reasonably spend them.

"In the UK there are 151 billionaires"
Yes, but the masses have reasonable healthcare and proper education. At least it's something. And still the people are getting pissed because the NHS has been steadily de funded for years while the rich have been getting tax cuts.

"Should money itself exist?"
Money doesn't really exist.

@wajoma said
If it's such a great idea, start a non-profit free healthcare scheme and have people sign up voluntarily, win/win all round.

That's called "private health insurance."

@averagejoe1 said
But if you asked a roomful of folks what country is considered the greatest country that has ever existed ( not what THEY think it is, I mean what they think the World View is) the answer would be USA. So, what’s going on here?

Shallow slogans unfortunately will not save the lives of those thousands of people. Only health care reform can.

@zahlanzi said
There should be no billionaires, that's my answer. Nobody should own more wealth than they could spend in 10 lifetimes and especially not while people are starving.

Ok so you’re an idealist, I get that already.

But your OP talks about morality so I’m just asking you where you would draw the moral line in terms of wealth limit?

@kazetnagorra said
That's called "private health insurance."

So start a low cost non-profit private health insurance, you're going to smash all the big boys by undercutting them, people will be flocking to join your scheme, it sounds majical. Those few maniacs who don't believe you will just have to take responsibility for their decisions.

@averagejoe1 said
But if you asked a roomful of folks what country is considered the greatest country that has ever existed ( not what THEY think it is, I mean what they think the World View is) the answer would be USA. So, what’s going on here?

I think that's a pretty naive statement to make.
You probably just heard Trump say that. 😴

While I am not an astute historian, I can come up with at least 1 empire that easily surpasses your choice.
Many will argue that the Roman Empire was the most impressive entity in human history. Lasted about 1000 years.
And others will come up with other choices.
I'll let the experts have at this.
Note that they weren't always called countries throughout history.

America is a great power but it hasn't been around all that long.
And I doubt it will stay on top this century.

@mghrn55 said
I think that's a pretty naive statement to make.
You probably just heard Trump say that. 😴

While I am not an astute historian, I can come up with at least 1 empire that easily surpasses your choice.
Many will argue that the Roman Empire was the most impressive entity in human history. Lasted about 1000 years.
And others will come up with other choices.
I'll let the ex ...[text shortened]... great power but it hasn't been around all that long.
And I doubt it will stay on top this century.

Great dodge plus bailout, mgmm. You just couldn’t put yourself out there, to state the USA is NOT great. Couldn’t say it. Why?.. cause it is. And as lib as you are, it is still impossible to disagree that we are the best. Now take a shower😄😄😄😄!

@divegeester said
Ok so you’re an idealist, I get that already.

But your OP talks about morality so I’m just asking you where you would draw the moral line in terms of wealth limit?

I already answered that. Would you like me to sing you the answer next? Maybe put it in a haiku?

Billionaires shouldn't exist. Until we make that happen, i would settle for a wealth tax that would lessen the rate at which they amass obscene riches and pay for basic needs for the rest of the people

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Great piece of information. Thank you very much for contributing.