Billionaires to give away half their fortune

More than 30 US billionaires pledged today to give away at least 50 per cent of their wealth to charity as part of a campaign by investor Warren Buffett and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

This don't sit well with me. Why are they giving away their money now? These elites seem to be afraid of something. Buffet wants to give away 99% of his money supposedly.

reply to post by Come Clean


I suspect maybe they know what's coming down the track with regards to a possible currency re-structuring, who knows.

Giving away "$30 million" might sound like a big altruistic gesture today, but in a year or two, that cash money may be worthless, but certainly worth less.

The other half of their fortunes they will be putting into gold and other assets.

So when things go pear-shaped, all the people suffering will think "ahhhhh..that (insert altruistic billionnairre's name), jeez he wasn't such a bad guy after all...he gave away half his fortune to the people! We won't tar and feather him..."

Something like that, anyway. Just a thought

The second OP concerning this. Oh, well. I will try to contribute anyway.

I believer these are "promises". Not actual, here you are, take my money stuff.

Like someone will be able to hold these folks accountable for a "promise".

I recall years ago Ted Turner promised lots of money to the U.N. I don't recall the actual transaction actually happened. Maybe someone else is more up to date on this than me?

Give away lots of dollars. Seems rather out of sorts from these peeps, yes?

It makes more sense to me that rich folks would not give away money, but instead invest it, creating jobs, requiring some sort of return from the money spent. Yeah, making a profit of some sort, and the profits would go into creating more jobs.

What? Suddenly rich folks just lost their minds and forgot all principles behind creating wealth and viable jobs? Not likely, in my opinion.

They didn't get rich by being chumps and giving money away for nothing.

They just might be scamming us.

Reducing the amount of dollars in the economic system.

I don't trust nary a one of them, but I will surely take a million dollar check from them.

did this story come with a link ???

I have no clue how giving money to charity
is gonna help society as a whole.

And Warren and Bill if you're reading this,
I surely could use $100K to buy me a new
double-wide and pay off my vehicle and get
some medical insurance and pay off
my bills. I could actually move out of this
camper and have a real working toilet and
a stove and a real fridge with an ice maker.
Never had one of those of my own (an ice maker).
YAAAAHHHHHHHHH !!!!!

Yes, some of us do live in poverty.


[edit on 5-8-2010 by boondock-saint]

not even one nice comment,what happend to you people?
bill gates and other people want to give half theyr fortune to charity and you bash them,what will make you happy? to be the next hitler perhaps?
meanwhile you like buyng ipods and iphones feeding that 7 head snake steve jobs,yea worship him,i dont see him doing anything charitable. you should feel shame!

Yep. theyll set up a tax free foundation with it, and pay themselves a fantastic fee to administer it.
That way half of their fortune is retained in their control but not taxed.They can still control how the money is spent and channel it to their own corporations or companies in some way.
Instead of losing the money it just becomes untouchable by the goverment because now its a non profit foundation.

That's like two guys in suits with dark shades at your door saying, "Were from the Federal Government and we're here to help". The rich men of the earth believe Eugenics is a worthy charity. They're not MY friends.

Originally posted by Stillalive
not even one nice comment,what happend to you people?
bill gates and other people want to give half theyr fortune to charity and you bash them,what will make you happy? to be the next hitler perhaps?
meanwhile you like buyng ipods and iphones feeding that 7 head snake steve jobs,yea worship him,i dont see him doing anything charitable. you should feel shame!

dude
I didn't bash anybody
I'm just curious as to how giving the money
to charity is gonna help society as a whole.
They must have a plan cuz they're
smarter than me

reply to post by Stillalive

Ppl do not become billionaires out of the kindness of their heart.

What ppl are saying is they do not trust their motives.

They think there is a ulterior motive, and if you read a few history
books you will see that has been the case more than once.

On the other hand maybe this is for real and they really want to
make a difference in the world.

I think the poster that said they may be hoping to buy a little
good will is probably spot on.

The natives are restless as the central bank ponzi scheme is
starting to run its natural course.

Over 40 million on food stamps.

The federal government caught repeatedly lying about unemployment
numbers and a myriad of other things as well.

The best advice I can give is get your learn on regarding survival,
wild foods, gardening, and anything else that make life easier
in a failed state situation.

thank you Warren and Bill and friends
May God bless you for your generosity
Even if it doesn't apply to me. Maybe
it will apply to some other folks who need it.

Originally posted by Come Clean
This don't sit well with me. Why are they giving away their money now? These elites seem to be afraid of something. Buffet wants to give away 99% of his money supposedly.

I dont know, maybe they have grown up a bit and decided to do some good with it while they are still alive to see the effects?

The more people lift their eyes from this basic school we are living in, the more they will see that life is not about collecting money. Its not about satisfying the ego.

But maybe this is one of the lessons people are here to learn.


[edit on 5-8-2010 by Copernicus]

They’re being smart. They can’t take their money with them in the next life, so they’re investing it in this one! Whilst they do it, they get to stick two fingers in the eyes of all the socialists, (and other jealous idiots) who’ve degraded these people throughout their fortune building, lives.

If I-you emptied a cash machine of $300 every 5 minutes, 24/7, 365 days a year, we'd only spend $31,536,000 which is like 0.1-0.2% of some of these peoples wealth. Their family will be able to buy more than enough with the other 1-49% they leave behind in their will.

Which makes me wonder: Should it be mandatory for all super rich either give X amount of their wealth, to their nominated charity; or they’d loose the same percent to a Inheritance Tax?

*looks around for flying pigs* .. Doubt they would do such a thing.. And if they did the charities would just pocket the money without helping anyone.. All charities do is profit from misery.. Regardless how much people give to charity those who need help dont get any and the people running the charity get new mansions, cars, etc.. pointless other than being a PR stunt by the billionaires.. If they actually do give anything..

Originally posted by stirling
Yep. theyll set up a tax free foundation with it, and pay themselves a fantastic fee to administer it.
That way half of their fortune is retained in their control but not taxed.They can still control how the money is spent and channel it to their own corporations or companies in some way.
Instead of losing the money it just becomes untouchable by the goverment because now its a non profit foundation.

Numerous trusts have been setup as "foundations" and they
do exactly what this poster has said.

Same rules, same ppl, same game, same scam.

Pirates at the top, parasites at the bottom killing the middle.

By parasite I do not mean ppl that paid into unemployment.

I am referring to the ppl Chris Rock says sing welfare songs.

I am referring to 40 million on food stamps that should be
doing a co-op not for profit community garden.

Guess the community organizer cannot organize that.

I have NO IDEA how to respond to this thread because I DON"T KNOW what the CONTEXT of this statement is. PLEASE provide a LINK.

How it will work will be a fund not unlike the Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation were their billions get put into it and it goes completely tax free. The fund will still be under the control of the initiator and they will pay themselves a nice retainer from it but all income generated off this fund is theirs to keep taxation free.

im sorry,i really forgot that the rich get out of taxes by giving donations,and as evil as they are,theyr probably donating to theyr friends like making a click ring...
still i dont see steve jobs donating anything!

Originally posted by boondock-saint
did this story come with a link ???

I have no clue how giving money to charity
is gonna help society as a whole.

And Warren and Bill if you're reading this,
I surely could use $100K to buy me a new
double-wide and pay off my vehicle and get
some medical insurance and pay off
my bills. I could actually move out of this
camper and have a real working toilet and
a stove and a real fridge with an ice maker.
Never had one of those of my own (an ice maker).
YAAAAHHHHHHHHH !!!!!

Yes, some of us do live in poverty.


[edit on 5-8-2010 by boondock-saint]

Hell, I'd be eternally grateful for 10k. The amount of 'money' that is out there is staggering. And it's controlled by such a relatively small number of people.

Charities? mmmm, well since the government already works for these people what can charities do that government cannot? - CON PEOPLE more effectively on things like overpopulation, global warming, gun violence and vaccines - all those things government cannot convince you are true charities can.

clever ploy to make themselves look good while still carrying out the NWO order agenda.

Giving away their money sure as hell won't create any new jobs.

As others have said if they were truly worried about the populace they would help fund unemployment, foodstamps, stop foreclosures and other practical things. They didn't get rich by being nice to others though, did they?

NOTHINGS CHANGED

I am always donating money from my tee shirt business to charity - but the thing is I am highly sceptical of charities et al but I give them the benefit of the doubt and give anyway.

It would be good to have these guys, with their experience and knowledge, coming together and coming up with a plan, a single vision, of what to do with the money. The idea that it is just going to be passed over to charities and research labs makes it less obvious as to what the money is actually being spent on.

How about a single online customised google map with pins depicting where the money is going and what it is being spent on. How fascinating could that be to login each day and see another handful of pins showing new schools, hospitals and water technologies benefiting the most needy.

Giving money to organisations is good but to see it actually working, saving lives, rebuilding communities and supporting humanity is what is needed. In my humble opinion of course