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What difference does it make if I meet him? Our lives and access to resources are still impacted by mega wealthy people. I pay taxes that build roads and schoo

What difference does it make if I meet him? Our lives and access to resources are still impacted by mega wealthy people. I pay taxes that build roads and schools which enable commercial tycoons like Bill Gates to reap enormous profits. Bill Gates buys farm land, which drives up prices and blocks me from accessing that land.

quesera 2y ago
I don't understand your point. Bill Gates pays a lot more taxes than you do, and contributes greatly more to those same roads and schools. You were blocked from accessing that farmland before Bill Gates bought it, and regardless of who bought it, you would still be blocked from accessing it. There is plenty of farmland for sale in the US, if you were considering buying it yourself.
- Retric 2y ago
  Bill Gates pays a much lower tax rate than I do, so I’m subsidizing his economic activities. Before a Microsoft employee drives on public roads someone needs to have paid to create and maintain those roads. Without government spending creating an environment conducive to wealth creation you don’t end up with billionaire business men you get warlords and poor people.
  - quesera 2y ago
    > I’m subsidizing his economic activities That is one, not universally-accepted, perspective, I guess.
  - iamthirsty 2y ago
    > Bill Gates pays a much lower tax rate than I do, so I’m subsidizing his economic activities. Given it's est. he'd have paid $500m+ in income tax in 2023[1], I think your calculation is off — he's subsidizing your economic activity. Just because the rate is lower, doesn't mean the real $ amount — what actually matters — isn't vastly higher. — [1]: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/much-bill-gates-pays-property-191026984.html https://ca.news.yahoo.com/much-bill-gates-pays-property-1910...
    - Retric 2y ago
      He paid 0$ in income tax on all the money funding his foundation, ~150x more money untaxed than a single unusual large tax bill. You may agree or disagree with with what his foundation is doing, but your subsidizing it anyway.
      - iamthirsty 2y ago
        > He paid 0$ in income tax on all the money funding his foundation It's a non-profit foundation that's main function is giving the money away, funding social and educational development in developing countries, and solving huge international human rights issues. One of the biggest in the world, too. Why do you think people get tax-deductions from donations? Your priority here seems to be more to find any reason to slam someone who is wealthy, rather than actually for the better of society.
        Retric 2y ago
        The point is we’re subsidizing his economic activities by 10’s of billions of dollars. Some things you might agree with but money is fungible. I’d rather pay for someone’s healthcare than subsidize his multi million dollar yacht etc. PS: If you really believe in what the gates foundation is doing you can give them more money to work with here ( https://www.gatesphilanthropypartners.org/ https://www.gatesphilanthropypartners.org/) but you can’t give them less.
        quesera 2y ago
        I don't think you're using a reasonable definition of "subsidize". By all methods of accounting, Bill Gates contributes more to the public coffers than any other human being under discussion. Your definition of "subsidize" is predicated on the belief that the state is entitled to a flat percentage of income. This is arguably preferable (though it is, historically, a very messy argument!), but more importantly it is not true according any existing legal structure. So you could equally reasonably argue that Bill Gates (or anyone, really) has any number of other responsibilities to the public that you might dream up. He does not. Exactly zero of your tax pennies went toward the purchase of Bill Gates' yacht. Money is fungible, but that does not mean that all money is in all places at once.

quesera 2y ago

I don't understand your point. Bill Gates pays a lot more taxes than you do, and contributes greatly more to those same roads and schools. You were blocked from accessing that farmland before Bill Gates bought it, and regardless of who bought it, you would still be blocked from accessing it. There is plenty of farmland for sale in the US, if you were considering buying it yourself.

Retric 2y ago
Bill Gates pays a much lower tax rate than I do, so I’m subsidizing his economic activities. Before a Microsoft employee drives on public roads someone needs to have paid to create and maintain those roads. Without government spending creating an environment conducive to wealth creation you don’t end up with billionaire business men you get warlords and poor people.
- quesera 2y ago
  > I’m subsidizing his economic activities That is one, not universally-accepted, perspective, I guess.
- iamthirsty 2y ago
  > Bill Gates pays a much lower tax rate than I do, so I’m subsidizing his economic activities. Given it's est. he'd have paid $500m+ in income tax in 2023[1], I think your calculation is off — he's subsidizing your economic activity. Just because the rate is lower, doesn't mean the real $ amount — what actually matters — isn't vastly higher. — [1]: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/much-bill-gates-pays-property-191026984.html https://ca.news.yahoo.com/much-bill-gates-pays-property-1910...
  - Retric 2y ago
    He paid 0$ in income tax on all the money funding his foundation, ~150x more money untaxed than a single unusual large tax bill. You may agree or disagree with with what his foundation is doing, but your subsidizing it anyway.
    - iamthirsty 2y ago
      > He paid 0$ in income tax on all the money funding his foundation It's a non-profit foundation that's main function is giving the money away, funding social and educational development in developing countries, and solving huge international human rights issues. One of the biggest in the world, too. Why do you think people get tax-deductions from donations? Your priority here seems to be more to find any reason to slam someone who is wealthy, rather than actually for the better of society.
      - Retric 2y ago
        The point is we’re subsidizing his economic activities by 10’s of billions of dollars. Some things you might agree with but money is fungible. I’d rather pay for someone’s healthcare than subsidize his multi million dollar yacht etc. PS: If you really believe in what the gates foundation is doing you can give them more money to work with here ( https://www.gatesphilanthropypartners.org/ https://www.gatesphilanthropypartners.org/) but you can’t give them less.
        quesera 2y ago
        I don't think you're using a reasonable definition of "subsidize". By all methods of accounting, Bill Gates contributes more to the public coffers than any other human being under discussion. Your definition of "subsidize" is predicated on the belief that the state is entitled to a flat percentage of income. This is arguably preferable (though it is, historically, a very messy argument!), but more importantly it is not true according any existing legal structure. So you could equally reasonably argue that Bill Gates (or anyone, really) has any number of other responsibilities to the public that you might dream up. He does not. Exactly zero of your tax pennies went toward the purchase of Bill Gates' yacht. Money is fungible, but that does not mean that all money is in all places at once.