Super rich becoming even richer during pandemic

[Fambo Number Mive]

In yet another example of capitalism not working for the majority, the wealthiest are doing better than ever:

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18516290.uk-billionaires-see-personal-wealth-grow-25bn-pandemic-lockdown/

Of course we can't raise taxes on these people, oh no. Boris wags his finger. Never mind they have most of the wealth. We can't possibly expect our hard working billionaires to contribute a bit more, they might bugger off.

These people could change lives by giving a fraction of their fortune to the public coffers. They wouldn't even notice it, oh no they only have four islands now not five. But they won't.

[Puce Moment]

Only way I'm afraid.

[idunnosomename]

Tesla awarded contract to deliver battery-power guillotines

[Sebastian Cobb]

Only way I'm afraid.

There's also yeeting.

[jobotic]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/07/i-made-millions-last-debt-crisis-rich-win-coronavirus-fair-tax

[peanutbutter]

I was just thinking about how much I've donated to various things in the last couple of months, and I get the impression quite a lot of people are doing the same even though they're making way less than they were a few months ago. It's absurd how much of the weight of this shit is falling on normal people whilst stock markets are booming.

Dunno how a regular person in the US can look at the way their relief efforts were handled especially and not wanna murder the whole fucking lot of them.

[Ray Travez]

It's an inevitable consequence of a Keynesian, debt-based economic system.

As it's inevitable, you can be certain that wealth inequality will continue to increase apace. Eventually you'll need to be a billionaire to buy a bag of chips.

[Fambo Number Mive]

The wealth of the world's billionaires grew by more than a quarter (27%) during the height of the coronavirus between April-July to reach $10.2tn (£7.9tn), a new report says.

The "Riding the storm" study by the UBS and PwC also found that the number of billionaires had increased slightly to 2,189.

Imagine what that £7.9tn could do to help the rest of us. How many billionaires have donated even a fraction of their wealth to charity and/or healthcare during the pandemic?

[Poirots BigGarlickyCorpse]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/07/i-made-millions-last-debt-crisis-rich-win-coronavirus-fair-tax

It is not right that society's richest people profit from this crisis while millions fall into desperate poverty. I include myself in this. We urgently need to develop a fairer tax system so that we can contribute to solving the crisis, not just profit from it.

Yeah? What are you doing with all your money?

I cannot tell you whether governments will again resort to austerity to try to pay these debts off, but I can tell you what the rich will do with their new piles of cash. They will buy more stocks, bonds, gold, land and houses. I know this because they did exactly that when they received large amounts of newly printed money after the 2008 and 2011 crises. I know this because I'm doing it myself.

Oh, making yourself more fucking money. Good. Good for you.

[Icehaven]

I was just thinking about how much I've donated to various things in the last couple of months, and I get the impression quite a lot of people are doing the same even though they're making way less than they were a few months ago. It's absurd how much of the weight of this shit is falling on normal people whilst stock markets are booming.

Maybe it's just because I've watched a lot more daytime TV since March but the number of charity ads seems to have gone through the roof recently, with some (Cancer Research being one) saying outright that their donations have plummeted as charitable giving moved toward Covid related ones (NHS charities etc.). It's a sad, absurd state of affairs where charities are effectively having to beg ever harder for a rapidly diminishing pot of public donations while a tiny number of individuals could match and probably double it and not even notice a flicker in their bank account. 

[Poirots BigGarlickyCorpse]

Maybe it's just because I've watched a lot more daytime TV since March but the number of charity ads seems to have gone through the roof recently, with some (Cancer Research being one) saying outright that their donations have plummeted as charitable giving moved toward Covid related ones (NHS charities etc.). It's a sad, absurd state of affairs where charities are effectively having to beg ever harder for a rapidly diminishing pot of public donations while a tiny number of individuals could match and probably double it and not even notice a flicker in their bank account.

Because of all the "Bill Gates is funding the vaccine to put microchips in our brains" bullshit floating around, I decided to check how much money the Gates Foundation has contributed to vaccine research. $125 million.

Microsoft recently bought Bethesda, a videogame publisher, for $7.5 billion.

That's how much of a shit Bill Gates gives about vaccines or putting chips in our brains or humanity or anything except a figleaf so he can say "it's fine that I have obscene amounts of money, I give to charity!" Control of a videogame publisher means exclusive X-Box only releases which means more fucking money for Microsoft and Bill Gates, because the workers putting those X-Boxes together and the developers working twenty hours a day making the videogames aren't going to get it.

Bill Gates' net worth is 113.7 billion dollars as of August this year.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Because of all the "Bill Gates is funding the vaccine to put microchips in our brains" bullshit floating around, I decided to check how much money the Gates Foundation has contributed to vaccine research. $125 million.

Microsoft recently bought Bethesda, a videogame publisher, for $7.5 billion.

That's how much of a shit Bill Gates gives about vaccines or putting chips in our brains or humanity or anything except a figleaf so he can say "it's fine that I have obscene amounts of money, I give to charity!" Control of a videogame publisher means exclusive X-Box only releases which means more fucking money for Microsoft and Bill Gates, because the workers putting those X-Boxes together and the developers working twenty hours a day making the videogames aren't going to get it.

Bill Gates' net worth is 113.7 billion dollars as of August this year.

Not sure Gates has any control over what Mickeysoft buy these days, other than being a shareholder.

However, almost all of Gates' philanthropy ensures the money comes back to western service providers.
Good thing by a sligthly annoying person here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSnXI93lY-0&feature=emb_title

[idunnosomename]

I understand the problem with someone Bill Gates deciding what good causes he spends his charity on, but at least he spends it on good causes. Bezos does fuck all and gives and absolute miniscule amount of his wealth to charity, presumably just enough for the tax benefits.

So it is funny isnt how Gates is the brain control boogie man along with Zuckerberg and Bezos is fine. Because he's the sort of Randian ultraplutocrat American trumpist capitalism is headed to. A selfish bald cunt.

[Sebastian Cobb]

You seem to be constructing some sort of strawman where people think bezos and zuckerberg are 'fine'.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Is there even a movement to get these cunts to pay a windfall tax due to the money they've raked in since high street competition couldn't compete?

I mean, I have seen zero petitions or groups to sign up to or join despite being the most essential angle for the left right now.

[Zetetic]

It's a good idea, worth trying.

[Polymorphia]

Fuck sake, why couldn't we have someone somewhat competent during this crisis, rather than someone just using it to make sure all his great mates from Oxford or whatever aren't paying what they should do

[idunnosomename]

You seem to be constructing some sort of strawman where people think bezos and zuckerberg are 'fine'.

no sorry I mean Gates and Zuckerberg are the boogeyman globalists. Zuckerberg gets loads of shit from the alt-right, Bezos none, as far as I notice.

Gates and Zuckerberg are cunts in a system that rewards greedy bullies, but Bezos is just fucking evil