Suddenly we must get rid of Billionaires

[LibertyKid]

Computers were created at public expense and public initiative. In their earliest stages of development it was 100% public expense, and the same is true for the Internet.

My using a private monopoly in place of a public utility doesn't change Microsoft's or Gate's commitment to highly concentrated private power:

On Microsoft and Corporate Control of the Internet, Noam Chomsky interviewed by Anna Couey and Joshua Karliner

"It’s a form of tyranny.

"But, that’s the whole point of corporatization — to try to remove the public from making decisions over their own fate, to limit the public arena, to control opinion, to make sure that the fundamental decisions that determine how the world is going to be run — which includes production, commerce, distribution, thought, social policy, foreign policy, everything — are not in the hands of the public, but rather in the hands of highly concentrated private power."

I think Gates and M$ are known more for the software they have designed that run the computers popularized by IBM. Was Gates aggressive and seeing competition, buying the competition, and growing M$, sure he was. But it didn't happen because he sat around crying about what Steve Jobs was doing or other successful people. He had ideas, made those ideas into a product that people and organizations have wanted and now use all over the world. But Gates is an evil man and doesn't deserve anything more than most of you bitching on an internet forum, using the same product that he helped develop and create. SMH at all the hypocrisy. If you don't like Gates, then you can't like Apple, or even Google. Throw all your tech away, pull out the pen and paper and start writing to each other, please?

 

[Ringo]

Another "self-made" billionaire asking for government subsidies (after he's already gotten billions)

 

[georgephillip]

I think Gates and M$ are known more for the software they have designed that run the computers popularized by IBM. Was Gates aggressive and seeing competition, buying the competition, and growing M$, sure he was. But it didn't happen because he sat around crying about what Steve Jobs was doing or other successful people. He had ideas, made those ideas into a product that people and organizations have wanted and now use all over the world. But Gates is an evil man and doesn't deserve anything more than most of you bitching on an internet forum, using the same product that he helped develop and create. SMH at all the hypocrisy. If you don't like Gates, then you can't like Apple, or even Google. Throw all your tech away, pull out the pen and paper and start writing to each other, please?

Imho, Gates and his fellow, few parasites exploit Madison's constitutional view that the goal of government must be to "protect the minority of the opulent against the majority. Like it or not, that's how the American system was set up.

The billion$ Gates "earns" from software he "created" along with the ideas and initiatives that give the software and hardware value were created by public initiative and expen$e.

Noam Chomsky on Microsoft and Corporate Control of the Internet | corpwatch

"So how does Microsoft achieve its enormous profits?

"Well, Bill Gates is pretty frank about it. He says they do it by 'embracing and extending' the ideas of others.

"They're based on computers, for example.

"Computers were created at public expense and public initiative.

"In the 1950s when they were being developed, it was about 100% public expense.

"The same is true of the Internet.

"The ideas, the initiatives, the software, the hardware -- these were created for about 30 years at public initiative and expense, and it's just now being handed over to guys like Bill Gates."

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Imho, Gates and his fellow, few parasites exploit Madison's constitutional view that the goal of government must be to "protect the minority of the opulent against the majority. Like it or not, that's how the American system was set up.

The billion$ Gates "earns" from software he "created" along with the ideas and initiatives that give the software and hardware value were created by public initiative and expen$e.

Noam Chomsky on Microsoft and Corporate Control of the Internet | corpwatch

"So how does Microsoft achieve its enormous profits?

"Well, Bill Gates is pretty frank about it. He says they do it by 'embracing and extending' the ideas of others.

"They're based on computers, for example.

"Computers were created at public expense and public initiative.

"In the 1950s when they were being developed, it was about 100% public expense.

"The same is true of the Internet.

"The ideas, the initiatives, the software, the hardware -- these were created for about 30 years at public initiative and expense, and it's just now being handed over to guys like Bill Gates."

The billion$ Gates "earns" from software he "created" along with the ideas and initiatives that give the software and hardware value were created by public initiative and expen$e.

And the public benefits when they use his product.
And the government has collected tens of billions, or more, in tax revenues.

 

[georgephillip]

And the public benefits when they use his product.
And the government has collected tens of billions, or more, in tax revenues.

How does that justify Gates' net worth

Do private fortunes exist in the absence of war and debt? If so, when and where?

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

How does that justify Gates' net worth

Do private fortunes exist in the absence of war and debt? If so, when and where?

Why does his net worth have to be justified.
He created a product. No one was forced to buy it.
End of story.

Do private fortunes exist in the absence of war and debt?

Who cares?

 

[georgephillip]

Why does his net worth have to be justified.
He created a product. No one was forced to buy it.
End of story.

Do private fortunes exist in the absence of war and debt?

Who cares?

He creates what?
How much of the daily labor at Microsoft does Rich Bill account for?

Rich Bill's just another parasite, but at least he contributes in his own small way to producing goods and services unlike FIRE sector leeches.

 

[georgephillip]

Do private fortunes exist in the absence of war and debt?

Who cares?

Anyone who values human lives over big houses.
Only war whores and speculators would ask such a question.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

He creates what?
How much of the daily labor at Microsoft does Rich Bill account for?

Rich Bill's just another parasite, but at least he contributes in his own small way to producing goods and services unlike FIRE sector leeches.

He creates what?

Software.

How much of the daily labor at Microsoft does Rich Bill account for?

More than you.

Rich Bill's just another parasite

Coming from poor, whiney George, I'm sure that really stings.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Anyone who values human lives over big houses.
Only war whores and speculators would ask such a question.

You shouldn't start any wars or use any debt.

We're saved!!!

 

[The Duke]

to save our demockracy, well maybe not all just one uppity one probably would do right libs.

Outlaw billionaires to save democracy: MSNBC analyst

MSNBC political analyst Anand Giridharadas suggested on Monday that it was only a “policy choice” that allows billionaires like Elon Musk to flourish in the United States.

www.foxnews.com

Just need to abolish billionaire and corporate collusion within the US government.

 

[The Duke]

I think Gates and M$ are known more for the software they have designed that run the computers popularized by IBM. Was Gates aggressive and seeing competition, buying the competition, and growing M$, sure he was. But it didn't happen because he sat around crying about what Steve Jobs was doing or other successful people. He had ideas, made those ideas into a product that people and organizations have wanted and now use all over the world. But Gates is an evil man and doesn't deserve anything more than most of you bitching on an internet forum, using the same product that he helped develop and create. SMH at all the hypocrisy. If you don't like Gates, then you can't like Apple, or even Google. Throw all your tech away, pull out the pen and paper and start writing to each other, please?

Oh! One could very much hate Gates and like Apple. Especially if they were a Mac fag. Which has its ups and downs.
It doesn't make you a bad person or stupid.

And uh..well.. I'm a PC dude, but Gates is a super douche. Probably 1/2 of everything Covid that motherfucker was responsible for. What's that thing he did in November of 2019? Hmm?

 

[georgephillip]

Just need to abolish billionaire and corporate collusion within the US government.

Start here?

How Does the Citizens United Decision Still Affect Us in 2022?

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Start here?

How Does the Citizens United Decision Still Affect Us in 2022?

Only if we outlaw government unions first.

 

[LibertyKid]

Oh! One could very much hate Gates and like Apple. Especially if they were a Mac fag. Which has its ups and downs.
It doesn't make you a bad person or stupid.

And uh..well.. I'm a PC dude, but Gates is a super douche. Probably 1/2 of everything Covid that motherfucker was responsible for. What's that thing he did in November of 2019? Hmm?

I'm not sure what this comment has to do with anything in this thread. Gates' involvement in Covid has nothing to do with how he built M$.

 

[The Duke]

I'm not sure what this comment has to do with anything in this thread. Gates' involvement in Covid has nothing to do with how he built M$.

How he built Microsoft when?
For one thing, the government gave him a monopoly from the jump. No competition was encouraged.
There was MS, Apple, and minor players like Sun and Linux.

 

[Red Front]

to save our demockracy, well maybe not all just one uppity one probably would do right libs.

Outlaw billionaires to save democracy: MSNBC analyst

MSNBC political analyst Anand Giridharadas suggested on Monday that it was only a “policy choice” that allows billionaires like Elon Musk to flourish in the United States.

www.foxnews.com

Society under its current economic system shouldn't allow any individual to amass more than twelve million dollars yearly and possess more than a hundred million in assets. A person can make as much as a million monthly, and after that, it's deposited into the public treasury.

 

[Red Front]

Only if we outlaw government unions first.

Ban capitalist super PACs first, the so-called "citizens united" scheme in place for the rich to legally bribe politicians. Actually better yet, just ban capitalists.

 

[BothWings]

To eliminate billionaires is nothing more than Un-American communism. However to limit what billionaires can do with their money is common sense...such as them creating monopolies and buying politicians.

 

[Red Front]

To eliminate billionaires is nothing more than Un-American communism. However to limit what billionaires can do with their money is common sense...such as them creating monopolies and buying politicians.

The problem is that no matter what measures you take to control billionaires, they will always use their money in ways that serve their own interests and not necessarily that of the public good. It's not very "American" to give so much power to one individual or one family. That's more like a monarchy than republicanism or democracy.