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AMA: Bill Gates

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Re: AMA: Bill Gates

#51

Post by reaperducer »

creato wrote: post #14
elektor wrote: post #2

Do people derive pleasure from these AMAs? Gates seems to reply with the same platitudes and non-answers to the point where its hard to tell if it’s him or the BMGF publicist.

I skimmed the AMA for a few minutes, and saw him say that: - He thought nuclear weapons, bioterrorism, and climate change were the biggest threats to humanity. - He thought paying $10B in capital gains taxes was not enough and he should have paid more. Maybe those are platitudes but it's real enough for me.

He thought paying $10B in capital gains taxes was not enough and he should have paid more.

I'm always annoyed when rich people say things like this. I had one say almost this exact thing to me in an elevator once.

There's nothing stopping him from paying more. He just writes a check to "Department of the Treasury" and sends it off to D.C. Problem solved.

But then he doesn't get to passive-aggressively whine about all of his piles of money that the government won't take from him.

Re: AMA: Bill Gates

#52

Post by function_seven »

briandear wrote: post #26
creato wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I skimmed the AMA for a few minutes, and saw him say that: - He thought nuclear weapons, bioterrorism, and climate change were the biggest threats to humanity. - He thought paying $10B in capital gains taxes was not enough and he should have paid more. Maybe those are platitudes but it's real enough for me.

It is a platitude when someone like Gates says they want more taxes because, the Treasury has a means for anyone to send a check for whatever amount they want. If he wants to write a $2b check to the treasury, he could do that today. What he is really saying is that other people should be required to pay more taxes — or alternatively, it’s just an empty platitude to endear himself with leftist anti-rich intellectuals…

This argument is not logical. There's a road near me with a posted speed limit of 50. I think that's too high, and dangerous for conditions and nearby residents. If I were to publicly advocate for a lower limit (say, 35), it sounds like you'd tell me that I'm free to drive slower if I want.

Great, but that does very little to solve the problem. Everyone needs to slow down, not just one car.

Re: AMA: Bill Gates

#53

Post by [deleted] »

marricks wrote: post #24

I feel like every other month Gates guest edits the Verge or has an interview there. Or I see his annual letter all over LinkedIn, or an AMA... He gets so much exposure I imagine because he’s a “good billionaire trying to fix the world.” I guess it’s the most we can hope for these days from our growing class of ultra wealthy, but I really don’t think that means they should get the right to shout their opinions at us…

[deleted]

Re: AMA: Bill Gates

#54

Post by maximente »

x__x wrote: post #47
marricks wrote: post #24

I feel like every other month Gates guest edits the Verge or has an interview there. Or I see his annual letter all over LinkedIn, or an AMA... He gets so much exposure I imagine because he’s a “good billionaire trying to fix the world.” I guess it’s the most we can hope for these days from our growing class of ultra wealthy, but I really don’t think that means they should get the right to shout their opinions at us…

There will come a time in history when Microsoft will be looked back on as an evil company who gave up all it's users personal data to big GOV. Bill doesn't want this to be his legacy. He wants to be remembered as a philanthropist, not as historys biggest sellout.

i think it's more accurate to say that bill gates amassed a fortune with very shady and illegal business practices and now uses those ill-begotten gains to do generally good works. unfortunately, it's him who is deciding what those good works are, not the people of the US, which is really unattractive to a lot of people, especially when issues like homelessness are really, really needing attention here at home.

Re: AMA: Bill Gates

#55

Post by metabagel »

reaperducer wrote: post #34
aglavine wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You'll be surprised how many people ignore Gates Foundation's deep involvement on ending Polio

It's at least as any as the number of people who ignore the way George W. Bush is hailed as a hero for his work stemming the tide of AIDS in Africa. https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/04/george-w-bushs...

His ledger is still in the red.

Re: AMA: Bill Gates

#56

Post by nicoburns »

reaperducer wrote: post #51
creato wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I skimmed the AMA for a few minutes, and saw him say that: - He thought nuclear weapons, bioterrorism, and climate change were the biggest threats to humanity. - He thought paying $10B in capital gains taxes was not enough and he should have paid more. Maybe those are platitudes but it's real enough for me.

He thought paying $10B in capital gains taxes was not enough and he should have paid more. I'm always annoyed when rich people say things like this. I had one say almost this exact thing to me in an elevator once. There's nothing stopping him from paying more. He just writes a check to "Department of the Treasury" and sends it off to D.C. Problem solved. But then he doesn't get to passive-aggressively whine about all…

> I'm always annoyed when rich people say things like this. I had one say almost this exact thing to me in an elevator once.

Why? Surely it's better than the alternative of them not supporting progressive taxation?

Re: AMA: Bill Gates

#57

Post by gonehome »

reaperducer wrote: post #51
creato wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I skimmed the AMA for a few minutes, and saw him say that: - He thought nuclear weapons, bioterrorism, and climate change were the biggest threats to humanity. - He thought paying $10B in capital gains taxes was not enough and he should have paid more. Maybe those are platitudes but it's real enough for me.

He thought paying $10B in capital gains taxes was not enough and he should have paid more. I'm always annoyed when rich people say things like this. I had one say almost this exact thing to me in an elevator once. There's nothing stopping him from paying more. He just writes a check to "Department of the Treasury" and sends it off to D.C. Problem solved. But then he doesn't get to passive-aggressively whine about all…

That seems like a straw man to me - they’re saying the tax should be higher for people in their class generally, not that they individually wish to pay more.

Re: AMA: Bill Gates

#58

Post by Jackim »

reaperducer wrote: post #51
creato wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I skimmed the AMA for a few minutes, and saw him say that: - He thought nuclear weapons, bioterrorism, and climate change were the biggest threats to humanity. - He thought paying $10B in capital gains taxes was not enough and he should have paid more. Maybe those are platitudes but it's real enough for me.

He thought paying $10B in capital gains taxes was not enough and he should have paid more. I'm always annoyed when rich people say things like this. I had one say almost this exact thing to me in an elevator once. There's nothing stopping him from paying more. He just writes a check to "Department of the Treasury" and sends it off to D.C. Problem solved. But then he doesn't get to passive-aggressively whine about all…

I think it's still worth saying. Sure, one can write the cheque. But the problem is most don't have to and won't do it voluntarily.

Re: AMA: Bill Gates

#59

Post by phkahler »

jonas21 wrote: post #22
kome wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

in other words, war is dangerous and he pays too little tax. i think too they are platitudes.

And yet... how many other billionaires do you see going out and saying that the capital gains tax rate is too low and climate change is the biggest threat to humanity.

Well his buddy Warren Buffet also says he should pay more taxes. I find his stance refreshing - he's going to pay only what's required while advocating changing the rules so that everyone pays more. Lots of people say "well he's free to pay more if he want's to but he's not". Some call it hypocrisy. Some call it humility.

Re: AMA: Bill Gates

#60

Post by metabagel »

gist wrote: post #46
metabagel wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Gates apparently flied coach until about 1997. I'm not his biggest fan, but I find that interesting about him.

I remember that. That is a technique that is often used to impose frugality and get savings [1] out of the rest of the execs by setting an example. If he flies coach well then so do a hundred others. [1] I knew a guy who owned a small company and bought a low end car until he had locked up his union contract. He knew if he was seen with a nice car it was going to cost him a boat load. Likewise in my old school compan…

Interesting. I wouldn't put it past Gates to make that calculation.
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