When Statists really offend

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Warren Buffett on Monday signed over much of his $44 billion fortune to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, uniting the world's two richest people in a bid to fight disease, reduce poverty and improve education.

[rant]NPR spent a lot of time yesterday on the idea that the gummint or "we" in their terminology, need(s) to regulate these folks a lot tighter. Whatever your opinion on Gates the businessman, Gates the Foundation leader uses, of all things, science and reason when determining how best to use his money. This to me is much more effective than going through some hideous political process where all the pressure groups get a taste. The foundation is effective because it has the cash to address problems very directly without kow-towing to folks whose ineptitude has already been proven.[/rant]

BTW- Buffett did a wonderful thing, we should acknowlege that.

I personally think most if not all help to those who need it should be given by individuals or smallish groups of individuals, not by some bloated, archaic, near-useless money- and confusion-pit.

They will face a problem when Bill and Melinda can no longer run the thing. All bureaucracies develop inefficiencies. They may need to break the thing up in their old age.

Eventually, I'm sure... but speaking from a broader prospective, I think it's better to count on people helping others than governments helping themselves.

Course, I know its not too likely that people will ever help others to that point...

I guess thats what gives me my sympathy to the theory of communism. I think everyone should work together to help eachother... but purely out of the goodness of their hearts, not because they are forced to. If nobody was selfish and nobody was treated better than anyone else, the world would be a better place, I think.

Griff wrote:

BTW- Buffett did a wonderful thing, we should acknowlege that.

I gave much of my net assets to charity, too. That would be a negative $30K, more or less. I'm waiting for my check. :D

I think it is awesome... a great man in life and in death. Met him a few times.

I wonder if this progressive gift of Buffett's stock, will weaken his control over his holdings to a point where the value/price of the stock will decline?:confused:

rkzenrage wrote:

...a great man in life and in death.

[Monty]'e's not dead yet![/Python]

Not what I meant... I was talking about his will.

I know that as well, but thanks for playing.