Post by: Paddy on March 05, 2008, 05:18:26 PM
The number of Americans seems disproportionately low, considering the U.S. is supposed to be the great bastion of capitalism. What's your take on this and why aren't the bulk of the world's billionaires Americans?
http://www.forbes.com/2008/03/05/worlds-richest-billionaires-billionaires08-cx_lk_0305all_slide_2.html?partner=msnbc
Post by: Ezekiel on March 05, 2008, 05:21:02 PM
I'd bet we have significantly more millionaires then they do...
Post by: Jamisjockey on March 05, 2008, 05:23:01 PM
It's a lot easier -- and common -- to give folks that shaft (while amassing personal wealth) in those countries?
I'd bet we have significantly more millionaires then they do...
I'd bet we have significantly more millionaires then they do...
That was the first thing that came to mind for me, too.
Post by: charby on March 05, 2008, 05:24:42 PM
Post by: Telperion on March 06, 2008, 06:20:56 AM
Quote
The number of Americans seems disproportionately low, considering the U.S. is supposed to be the great bastion of capitalism. What's your take on this and why aren't the bulk of the world's billionaires Americans?
Not really surprising at all. Turns out one of the "easiest" ways to get rich is to leverage the power of the public purse to your advantage, e.g. Carlos Slim and Telmex, and most of those Russians and the remnants of the Soviet industrial machine.
Post by: K Frame on March 06, 2008, 07:40:10 AM
Post by: Manedwolf on March 06, 2008, 07:42:25 AM
Post by: Brad Johnson on March 06, 2008, 08:42:16 AM
Quote
The number of Americans seems disproportionately low, considering the U.S. is supposed to be the great bastion of capitalism. What's your take on this and why aren't the bulk of the world's billionaires Americans?
Because one fundamental of capitalism is the knowledge that it's better to be a millionaire for a long time than a billionaire once. It's a more plausible and sustainable business model. Easier, too.
Brad
Post by: Paddy on March 06, 2008, 08:45:39 AM
Post by: Paddy on March 06, 2008, 08:50:58 AM
Quote
Some of those people who took advantage of the chaos in the fall of the Soviet Union to buy up state assets (which was legitimate) are living under the shadow of Putin's iron glove, now. One of them, the former oil magnate there, is now in some forsaken Russian prison, if they haven't killed him yet. The oil company is once more nationalized.
That makes sense. Note that a lot of the Russkies are in the energy/oil/gas business. I read somewhere that Putin is reportedly worth some $50 billion, too.
Post by: Brad Johnson on March 06, 2008, 08:53:39 AM
Got it. Millionaires work hard at avoiding the billionaire threshold.
More like they know it's easier to become a millionaire, and remain one for life, than it is to be a billionaire once.
Brad
Post by: lanternlad on March 06, 2008, 08:53:52 AM
That is a socialist statement if I've ever heard one.
It is not parasitic to work hard and succeed. It is parasitic to tax them into poverty though. Those who have wealth, for the most part, worked hard for it. And those who believe that the hard working wealthy should lose their accumulations are jealous, pure and simple. One should not hope that the government should overtax ANYONE. The government has too much money as it is. Ronald Reagan said: Keep the government poor, and remain free."
Post by: Paddy on March 06, 2008, 09:02:12 AM
Quote
Ronald Reagan said: Keep the government poor, and remain free."
Is that the same Ronald Reagan who oversaw the largest expansion of federal government in the history of our country (until GWB, that is)? The same Ronald Reagan who left the country in massive debt and imposed huge tax increases on the working middle class? All this while bad mouthing government? That Ronald Reagan?
Quote
That is a socialist statement if I've ever heard one.
Awww, Mike's not really a socialist. He's just the resident liberal.
heh.
Post by: Jamisjockey on March 06, 2008, 09:44:51 AM
"We need a government/president who will tax these parasitic bastards into poverty and redistribute that wealth to the people who DESERVE it."
That is a socialist statement if I've ever heard one.
It is not parasitic to work hard and succeed. It is parasitic to tax them into poverty though. Those who have wealth, for the most part, worked hard for it. And those who believe that the hard working wealthy should lose their accumulations are jealous, pure and simple. One should not hope that the government should overtax ANYONE. The government has too much money as it is. Ronald Reagan said: Keep the government poor, and remain free."
That is a socialist statement if I've ever heard one.
It is not parasitic to work hard and succeed. It is parasitic to tax them into poverty though. Those who have wealth, for the most part, worked hard for it. And those who believe that the hard working wealthy should lose their accumulations are jealous, pure and simple. One should not hope that the government should overtax ANYONE. The government has too much money as it is. Ronald Reagan said: Keep the government poor, and remain free."
It was sarcasm. Heard of it before?
Click this link and read up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm
Post by: K Frame on March 06, 2008, 10:01:54 AM
Gee, you think?
Here's a few more for you to chew on...
DOWN WITH THE WAR MONGERS!
IMPEACH PRESIDENT CHENEY!
FREE THE GUANTAMO POLITICAL PRISONERS!
ISLAM IS NOBLE! CHRISTIANITY IS EVIL!
ISRAEL IS THE GREAT BASTION OF NAZISM IN THE WORLD TODAY!
FREE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL!
GUN OWNERS SHOULD BE EXECUTED!
Post by: lanternlad on March 06, 2008, 11:07:09 AM
Click this link and read up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm"
Back off.
Real nice way to make a new guy feel welcome. Very classy.
He never said he was being sarcastic. Nothing in the post indicated that. I'm supposed to be Kreskin?
And you wonder why the antis are gaining so much ground - we who are supposed to agree with each other attack at first post.
Polite Society indeed.
Post by: Paddy on March 06, 2008, 11:12:38 AM
And I don't mean that in a bad way.
Post by: Jamisjockey on March 06, 2008, 11:29:03 AM
No offense, pal, but if you'd spend some time here and read and get to know people before you throw nasty remarks around, like 'socialist', you wouldn't have to claim victimization.
And I don't mean that in a bad way.
And I don't mean that in a bad way.
You're on a roll. That's twice this week you beat me to the punch.
"It was sarcasm. Heard of it before?
Click this link and read up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm"
Back off.
Real nice way to make a new guy feel welcome. Very classy.
He never said he was being sarcastic. Nothing in the post indicated that. I'm supposed to be Kreskin?
And you wonder why the antis are gaining so much ground - we who are supposed to agree with each other attack at first post.
Polite Society indeed.
Click this link and read up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm"
Back off.
Real nice way to make a new guy feel welcome. Very classy.
He never said he was being sarcastic. Nothing in the post indicated that. I'm supposed to be Kreskin?
And you wonder why the antis are gaining so much ground - we who are supposed to agree with each other attack at first post.
Polite Society indeed.
Back off? No.
It doesn't take a mind reader to realize that was a sarcastic statement.
And, if you'd have read some of the 8166 posts that Irwin has made, you'd realize he's far from a socaialist. Instead, you, the new guy, come in here throwing monkey poo around.
The smart thing to do is start off in the kiddie pool. After a few dozen posts, then start insulting Irwin. Oh, and blame it on Fistful (let me know when you actually get that one).
Insulting an established poster with your first post...very classy.
(More sarcasm, in case you missed it)
Post by: Brad Johnson on March 06, 2008, 11:33:03 AM
Real nice way to make a new guy feel welcome. Very classy.
*edit to add - Looks like Riley and Jamis beat me to the punch.*
Almost as classy as showing up with a huge chip on your shoulder and trying to take it out on established and respected members of the forum.
We are a close-knit group here and often converse in a way more akin to family than forum. It may look like we are taking shots at each other, but we're not. Some of the poking we do is the result of hard-won respect and long-standing familiarity.
Do yourself a favor and just hang out a while. Get a feel for our particular styles before you begin punching members' buttons. In other words ... Back off, take a deep breath, regroup, and then join back in as a welcome addition to the forum.
Brad
Post by: grampster on March 06, 2008, 11:58:44 AM
Post by: RevDisk on March 06, 2008, 04:19:20 PM
I found this interesting. It's a list of the world's billionaires from top to bottom along with bios and photos. I didn't do any kind of count, BUT it seems a large number of them are Russian, as in former communist Soviet Union. Others are Asian, as in communist Chinese, some are Europeon, which we all know is a socialist paradise, and a few Indians.
The number of Americans seems disproportionately low, considering the U.S. is supposed to be the great bastion of capitalism. What's your take on this and why aren't the bulk of the world's billionaires Americans?
The number of Americans seems disproportionately low, considering the U.S. is supposed to be the great bastion of capitalism. What's your take on this and why aren't the bulk of the world's billionaires Americans?
Few people become insanely rich by strictly paying attention to the rules. Millionaires? Sure, hard work, good fiscal sense, and if the fates are kind, it's easy to make a million. More repressive/corrupt/centralized a nation, the more the wealth is concentrated in the hands of the few. The few can get away with kicking people off the ladder trying to follow them. The more open, the more people can make wealth.
Post by: K Frame on March 06, 2008, 04:49:31 PM
No.
If you're wise, you'll get the lay of the land and a feel for people BEFORE you make assumptions.
Post by: johnster999 on March 07, 2008, 09:25:54 AM
It's a lot easier -- and common -- to give folks that shaft (while amassing personal wealth) in those countries?
I'd bet we have significantly more millionaires then they do...
I'd bet we have significantly more millionaires then they do...
I think that hits the nail on the head.
Hey, looks like #5 on the list is building a "27 story home". That way he can hide out from the wife without even leaving the house.
Post by: 280plus on March 07, 2008, 10:52:42 AM
Quote
That way he can hide out from the wife without even leaving the house.
Not unheard of...There was a doctor here in Rockville CT who bought an existing 1800s mansion in the early 1900's and had secret passages put in everywhere for just that reason. He bequeathed it as a hospital when he died and it is now "Rockville General Hospital". Not only that but THERE WAS A GUN RANGE IN THE ATTIC!! When I was up there working on the morgue's A/C in the 80's it still had the target carriers complete with targets still hanging. He died in the 40's. PLUS there's reputed to be a marble swimming pool, ala "The Great Gatsby", buried in what is now the courtyard area.