Is Billionaire Philanthropy a Sham? | Robert Reich

Here's the truth about billionaire philanthropy: it's not charity. It’s PR to cover up exploitative business practices and shield their wealth.

#charity #billgates #winnerstakeall

[vividdaydream]

If billionaires _actually_ wanted to use their wealth to help people, they'd pay their employees a living wage.

[ShubhamBhushanCC]

YES.
Philanthropy is and always was since the gilded age, a way to avoid regulation and redistribution.

[jneff]

Billionaires want us to be grateful for the crumbs brushed off their tables... while ignoring that we placed the food on the table to begin with.

[Missy-Missy]

"There is enough in the world for everyone's need, but not for everyone's greed." (Frank Buchman)

[grinningchicken]

The sad thing is there is no way out of this as long as the US people see themselves as billionaires temporarily down on their luck rather than exploited workers.

[VERCINGETRIX]

Yeah, its a fraud.
If billionaires or multi-millionaires really want to "help" then they should start with paying their taxes and paying all their employees a living wage.
Their alleged philanthropy doesn't impress me.

[UURevival]

More accurately the richest individuals captured the entire pandemic stimulus.

[mannyj]

I think we all know that billionaires have no desire to help Americans...the very people and country that made them billionaires. Each of us can decide how to feel about that!

[belindahanley]

Philanthropy is commendable but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice which make philanthropy necessary. MLK

[jonathanedwardgibson]

Nothing says Tax-the-Rich like trading-up racing yachts for space fleets.

[symmetrylove]

We can have democracy or concentrated wealth in the hands of a few in America, but we can`t have both.

[samw]

I'd like to make a charitable donation to a space program that sends the billionaire class into space... and keeps them there

[longlakeshore]

Pro sports does the same thing--supports charities to deflect the fact that they are tax-avoiding billionaire owners & multimillion dollar players of the top 1%. Worse, they beg charitable contributions from fans of their sport who are not. Appalling.

[darinsingleton]

Welcome to Neofeudalism.

"Charity is not a substitute for justice." - St. Augustine.

[johno]

Most of the “donations” come in the form of appreciated stock holdings they never paid income tax on, while writing off the full value of the stock. Ordinary people who make donations donate cash they paid income tax on and then write of the amount they donate. A huge difference!

[KL]

I hate this system that someone else has made for all of us. It makes even the middle class to bleed their money and assests out.

[symmetrylove]

Amazon: I hope everyone is okay with one company winning capitalism.

[ElminsterPTC]

Taxes should be simple, how much did you earn or did your wealth grow. This is your tax contribution (which would be a higher percent for higher earners). No credits, no deductions, nothing. Then if people are making less than a livable wage they get subsidies from programs like SNAP, housing vouchers, etc. Taxes should take no more than a post card to fill out.

[TheNeoVid]

Actual billionaire philanthropy would be Jeff Bezos giving all 900k Amazon employees a $100, 000 bonus out of his own pocket, which would leave him with the same amount of money he had a year ago.

[donald]

In Arkansas, home of Walmart, the local paper made a big deal when they donated $500 to the local animal shelter. Cheap #%%$