Four questions for Bernie Sanders, Zohran Mamdani, and anyone else who believes that billionaires should not exist

[LordBrownTrout]

Yes let's try that. So where do we start? What do you want to cut? Where do you see waste, fraud and abuse? I think everything Trump is doing screams waste, fraud and abuse. He's awarding himself $230 million because they picked on him.

This alone should be enough for you. Donald Trump is getting a free airplane. But it's going to cost US $1 billion to fix it up and make it Air Force 1. I'd be okay with that if the next president got to keep it but Trump's taking it with him?

You can't say what you just said and be okay with all the waste, fraud and abuse we've seen from the Trump administration.

And if private donors are paying for the ballroom, what is he giving them in return?

You guys love to complain about welfare fraud when 90% on it are working. This tells me Capitalism is a failure if not for this government subsidy.

Picked on him? No, they made false claims against him. Lets start by cutting 20 percent, everywhere. Oh yeah, and presidents can make changes to the white house. Oh yeah, Im not against welfare and helping out. I am against corporate welfare. Perfect example, the san antonio spurs wanted a new arena, was going to cost 500 million and the team owner, who is a multibillionaire, wanted the tourists to pay for it. Of course the stupid people here voted for it. I voted against it.

 

[Captain Caveman]

They cannot be trusted not to.

There should be no billionaires.

Billionaires and millionaires don't take money off you, it's you that give them. Why fund and then complain about them??

 

[Sparker]

Not should. Won't. Billionaires won't exist. The extreme wealth of the industrial age, enabled by fossil fuels, is a temporary condition. Some billionaires will gradually lose their wealth, and others will be suddenly bankrupt or killed.

 

[sealybobo]

This is patently false.

What percent of people on food assistance work? This seems to be a misconception in all you MAGA elitists. You don't even realize it that most people on it work. You guys say "get to work" not realizing they do work.

My brother acted like a real MAGAsshole this weekend. I told him Capitalism is being subsidized by SNAP he said "no it's the other way around". No it's not. Without WICK Walmart and Target would have to pay more.

Then he said prices aren't up. Right out of Trump's playbook

In fact, Trump insisted that grocery prices were going down in his recent interview with CBS News’s 60 Minutes. “You can lie about immigration, you can lie about the stock market, you can even lie about what wars you ended because most Americans will say ‘I didn’t even know that Thailand and Finland were at war,’” said Meyers. “But you can’t lie about the prices people see with their own eyes at the grocery store.”

Seth Meyers: ‘Trump has no idea what regular people are going through and he doesn’t care’

Late-night hosts discussed Trump’s refusal to admit grocery prices are rising and what fueled Democrats’ recent wins

www.theguardian.com

 

[22lcidw]

What percent of people on food assistance work? This seems to be a misconception in all you MAGA elitists. You don't even realize it that most people on it work. You guys say "get to work" not realizing they do work.

My brother acted like a real MAGAsshole this weekend. I told him Capitalism is being subsidized by SNAP he said "no it's the other way around". No it's not. Without WICK Walmart and Target would have to pay more.

Then he said prices aren't up. Right out of Trump's playbook

In fact, Trump insisted that grocery prices were going down in his recent interview with CBS News’s 60 Minutes. “You can lie about immigration, you can lie about the stock market, you can even lie about what wars you ended because most Americans will say ‘I didn’t even know that Thailand and Finland were at war,’” said Meyers. “But you can’t lie about the prices people see with their own eyes at the grocery store.”

Seth Meyers: ‘Trump has no idea what regular people are going through and he doesn’t care’

Late-night hosts discussed Trump’s refusal to admit grocery prices are rising and what fueled Democrats’ recent wins

www.theguardian.com

Lost in all of the utopian programs is that we are supposed to be free.

 

[sealybobo]

Lost in all of the utopian programs is that we are supposed to be free.

Oh boy here we go with the freedom bullshit.

You got conned. Either that or you conned us. Which is it?

 

[Nobody911]

As a person who very much believes that billionaires should exist, I'm very curious to hear the answers to these four questions.

If there is anyone in this forum who believes that billionaires should not exist, please answer the four questions.

I have four questions for Bernie Sanders, Zohran Mamdani, and anyone else who believes that billionaires should not exist

By Daniel Alman (aka Dan from Squirrel Hill) October 24, 2025 Bernie Sanders said: “Billionaires should not exist.” Source: Zohran Mamdani said: “I don’t think that we should have billionaires.” So…

danfromsquirrelhill.wordpress.com

I have four questions for Bernie Sanders, Zohran Mamdani, and anyone else who believes thatbillionaires should not exist​

Bernie Sanders said:

“Billionaires should notexist.”

Source:



Zohran Mamdani said:

“I don’t think that weshould have billionaires.”

Source:



I have four questions for Sanders, Mamdani, and anyone else whobelieves that billionaires should not exist.

But first, I’d like to present some background informationbefore I ask those four questions.

Aluminum used to be so expensive that it was considered a preciousmetal. When they built the Washington Monument, they put a 20 poundpiece of aluminum at the top. At the time, it was the biggest pieceof refined aluminum in the world.

Since then, some greedy capitalists figured out how to makealuminum so cheap that today, people throw aluminum foil into thegarbage.

Those greedy capitalists became billionaires because of what theydid.

And we are all better off as a result.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hall%E2%80%93H%C3%A9roult_process

The same thing is true for the people who created LEGO, HarryPotter, and so many other things. Those people became billionaires.And they did so by making other people better off.

Wikipedia has a list of billionaires per country. I clicked twiceon the part where it says “rate,” so it would show the number ofbillionaires per capita in each country. Here is a screenshot of thisthat shows which countries have the highest number of billionairesper capita. This is only part of the list. The total number ofcountries that have billionaires is a lot longer, and you can readthe complete list at the link.

Source: List of countries by number of billionaires - Wikipedia

The thing that I find most interesting about that screenshot is that it shows that Sweden actually has more billionaires, per capita,than the United States.

If you go to the link and read the entire list, you will see that there are certain countries that are not on the list, because theydon’t allow people to become billionaires. North Korea and Cuba aretwo of these countries.

Regarding the countries that don’t allow people to become billionaires, immigration patterns prove that no one wants to live inthose countries. All of the immigration regarding those countries isout of those countries. No one moves into those countries.

Now that I have presented this background information, here are my four questions for Bernie Sanders, Zohran Mamdani, and anyone else who believes that billionaires should not exist:

1) Would you rather be a middle class person today, or the richest person in the world 200 years ago?

2) Based on that wikipedia list, would you rather live in a real world country that has lots billionaires, or in a real world country where it’s impossible for people to become billionaires?

3) Why do you think it’s a bad thing that the creator of Harry Potter became a billionaire?

4) What do you think of the fact that Sweden has more billionaires, per capita, than the U.S.?

Do you love dark money? Well, it's not illegal! lol.

The existence of billionaires is a contentious topic with arguments on both sides. Here are reasons for and against their existence:

Reasons Supporting Billionaires:

1. Economic Growth: Billionaires can drive economic growth by creating businesses, leading to job creation and innovation.
2. Philanthropy: Many billionaires engage in philanthropy, funding initiatives that address social issues, health, and education.
3. Investment: They often invest in startups and new technologies, fostering advancements that can benefit society as a whole.
4. Global Influence: Billionaires can leverage their resources to address global challenges, such as climate change or public health crises.

Reasons Against Billionaires:

1. Wealth Inequality: The existence of billionaires contributes to significant wealth disparities, which can lead to social unrest and instability.
2. Political Influence: Billionaires can wield disproportionate political power, undermining democratic processes and policy-making. In other words, they can use dark money.
3. Resource Allocation: The concentration of wealth may result in misallocation of resources, prioritizing profit over public good.
4. Exploitation: The systems that allow billionaires to amass wealth often exploit workers and natural resources, leading to ethical concerns.

Ultimately, whether billionaires should always exist is complex. Their impact can be both positive and negative, and the focus may need to shift towards ensuring that wealth is used responsibly and equitably.

US Congress members, both parties, love dark money! lol.

Who Can Use Dark Money?

Types of Organizations

Primarily, these are non-profit organizations that can legally spend money on political activities while keeping their donors secret:

1. Social Welfare Organizations (501(c)(4))

- Examples:
- National Rifle Association (NRA)
- Planned Parenthood Action Fund
- Various political advocacy groups
- Can spend up to 50% of their funds on political activities

2. Business Leagues (501(c)(6))

- Examples:
- Chamber of Commerce
- Industry trade associations
- Professional networking groups
- Can spend money to influence political outcomes that benefit their industry

Who Actually Uses Dark Money?

• Wealthy individuals
• Corporations
• Special interest groups
• Politically motivated billionaires

Real-World Example

Let's say a billionaire wants to support a political candidate but doesn't want their name publicly associated with the donation. They can:

• Donate to a 501(c)(4) organization
• That organization then runs political ads or supports a campaign
• The billionaire's identity remains completely hidden

Why This Matters

• Donors can influence elections without public accountability
• These groups can spend millions without revealing who's behind the money
• It creates a "shadow" political funding system

Common Dark Money Sources

• Wealthy individuals
• Corporations
• Labor unions
• Industry associations
• Political action committees (PACs)

The key point is that these organizations can spend money to influence political outcomes while keeping their donors' identities secret. This means powerful entities can shape political discourse without transparency.

sources :

1. Dark Money Hit a Record High of $1.9 Billion in 2024 Federal Races
2. Citizens United and the Decline of US Democracy: Assessing the Decision’s Impact 15 Years Later - Roosevelt Institute

 

[Captain Caveman]

Not should. Won't. Billionaires won't exist. The extreme wealth of the industrial age, enabled by fossil fuels, is a temporary condition. Some billionaires will gradually lose their wealth, and others will be suddenly bankrupt or killed.

They'll move into other sectors and adapt businesses where possible. It's ever evolving, they don't remain static. Businesses that don't constantly change with the times disappear.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Crepitus Do you use an electronic device to access the internet that's Windows, Apple, Android based? Why did you buy it if you dislike billionaires? Write your own operating system, design and make your own electronics. Get rid of your mobile phone and computers, stop funding billionaires. They're only billionaires because you buy/fund their equipment and services. Stop buying cars where the CEO, shareholders, directors etc.. are millionaires and billionaires. Stop funding them and crying in equal measure.

 

[BackAgain]

Crepitus Do you use an electronic device to access the internet that's Windows, Apple, Android based? Why did you buy it if you dislike billionaires? Write your own operating system, design and make your own electronics. Get rid of your mobile phone and computers, stop funding billionaires. They're only billionaires because you buy/fund their equipment and services. Stop buying cars where the CEO, shareholders, directors etc.. are millionaires and billionaires. Stop funding them and crying in equal measure.

CC:

You may not always be right. But when you are, you don’t do it by half measures.

Crepitus is now looking for his head. I’m convinced you just knocked his block off.

 

[Crepitus]

Crepitus Do you use an electronic device to access the internet that's Windows, Apple, Android based? Why did you buy it if you dislike billionaires? Write your own operating system, design and make your own electronics. Get rid of your mobile phone and computers, stop funding billionaires. They're only billionaires because you buy/fund their equipment and services. Stop buying cars where the CEO, shareholders, directors etc.. are millionaires and billionaires. Stop funding them and crying in equal measure.

They don't have to be billionaires to make those things.

Cool straw man though.

 

[Ghost of a Rider]

They don't have to be billionaires to make those things.

Cool straw man though.

Maybe they don't have to be, but they are. Which means billionaires made and/or sold many of the things you chose to buy and use while at the same time saying they have too much (of your) money. That's not mere irony, that's hypocrisy.

 

[CowboyTed]

I don't always agree with Bernie. I am centre moderate European, might even be centre right in some issues, centre left on others... To many here that makes me a communist... I have no problem saying some socialist policies and programs work and work better than private, others private works better than the Government.

1) Would you rather be a middle class person today, or the richest person in the world 200 years ago?

Middle Class today, technology has been a benefit for all... Some of that came from the Government and some from Private Business or Individuals...
Look at Penicillin, the development of that was multiple country governments working together (i.e. Globalism and socialism)... But today it is produced by private companies (Capitalism)

2) Based on that wikipedia list, would you rather live in a real world country that has lots billionaires, or in a real world country where it’s impossible for people to become billionaires?

I don't think having or not having Billionaires is the main issue. It is about who is controlling the leaders in the country, who has access and who do they serve... US lobbying has made Billionaires have an excessive amount of control in the operation of the Government over the will of the people...
Billionaires spend a considerable amount of money creating a myth of them being really intelligent and insightful. But if you look at there grades at school you will notice that quite a few were just a little above average and not these world class geniuses.
What Sanders is saying is the backlash to decades of these guys control which has them paying less effective tax rate than the middle class...

3) Why do you think it’s a bad thing that the creator of Harry Potter became a billionaire?

Nothing wrong with her becoming a billionaire. But why can she pay lower effective tax rate than her assistant.
Saying that why does a stock broker make 100 times more than a Fireman who risks his life running into a building? Who is worth more to society?

4) What do you think of the fact that Sweden has more billionaires, per capita, than the U.S.?

Well Swedn is a Social Democracy and after generations it rises to the top... US is much more capitalist and is seeing their decline in a lot of Global rankings...
GOP/MAGA method of crony capitalism will lead to a decline... Cutting taxes gives short term highs but at the cost of long term growth of a nation...
Best investment a country can make is education in all areas of society and the societies who have high access to universal educations will beat ones that exclude ones for being poor.
Public Transport creates wealth by allowing richer areas access to staff and allows staff less of a barrier to better paid jobs...

But the main problem is that Billionaires own the media in US... They dominate... Even the CNN and MSNBC are considered in Europe to not see the massive injustices than seem acceptable..
Example,
If a Corporation pollutes the environment, it is effectively stealing from society to enrich its owners... This can be fully legal in America. Think about that, US just doesn't equate that...

Education, in many other countries the best universities are state owned and have strict methods of offering courses to students on merit (i.e. their test scores) and no student is effectively barred due to economic means... Scholarship system just looks corrupt drippings from the master's table.. These societies believe we owe our children our knowledge and wisdom, US thinks the need Student Debt...

 

[Captain Caveman]

They don't have to be billionaires to make those things.

Cool straw man though.

But if you use Windows, Bill gates is a Billionaire. So stop using Windows. If you're using an iPhone, quit doing so, the Apple executives are millionaires/billionaires. No straw, just stop funding them if their wealth annoys you. Don't buy a Tesla, you would fund Musk.

 

[Crepitus]

Maybe they don't have to be, but they are. Which means billionaires made and/or sold many of the things you chose to buy and use while at the same time saying they have too much (of your) money. That's not mere irony, that's hypocrisy.

Nope. they have too much money period.

Billionaires should not exist.

 

[Ghost of a Rider]

Nope. they have too much money period.

Billionaires should not exist.

And yet you buy their shit.