Live data from Hacker News

Melinda Gates Resigns from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

seattletimes.com

11–20 of 30 posts

Re: Melinda Gates Resigns from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

#12
post #3

I would imagine it's difficult to stay deeply involved in something like that with one's ex. People get divorced for many reasons but generally they don't want to be around each other any more and being co-chairs of a big foundation would make that pretty impossible. Business (or charitable) partnerships are like marriages in a lot of ways.

I've heard (in the worst kind of hearsay way) from people that are only distantly in the Microsoft/Non-profit circle that Melinda could be largely credited for getting Bill to take philanthropy seriously. If true, that in itself has done a lot of good for the world.

I'd believe it. Bill always struck me as being pretty anti-social and even sociopathic. Not that I know him or anything close to that.

Re: Melinda Gates Resigns from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

#13
post #10

I was wondering and found this in the article: > The organization’s name will change to the Gates Foundation, with Bill Gates, her ex-husband and Microsoft founder, becoming the sole chair.

I didn't even know they got divorced!

It was a fallout of all the Jeffrey Epstein news.

Re: Melinda Gates Resigns from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

#15

[flagged]

> Given the lack of taxes, Americans have effectively subsidized this charity.

Not to mention the artificial and historically recent notion of software copyright underlying the business which made Gates' fortune, representing - as all such legal enclosures do - a theft from the commons.

Re: Melinda Gates Resigns from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

#17
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It was a fallout of all the Jeffrey Epstein news.

What is the context there?

Bill met with Epstein on multiple occasions, after Epstein already had a conviction, and Melinda has cited this as a contributing factor to the divorce: https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/03/melinda-gates-jeffr...

Re: Melinda Gates Resigns from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

#18

[flagged]

>Given the lack of taxes, Americans have effectively subsidized this charity. Have we gotten anything in return?

1) Opportunity costs are not real costs. Not taking something is different than giving something.

2) The US public and US government also spend money overseas. To that extent, this is a economic multiplier. Instead of collecting $1 in taxes, $5 is spent by private parties.

Re: Melinda Gates Resigns from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

#19

[flagged]

Doing good “overseas” does benefit Americans. America exists as a part of the world; Americans as part of humanity. Raising the bar for minimum levels of health care and quality of life is good for all of our souls. It also inevitably creates more avenues for economic and diplomatic cooperation.
Post reply on HN