Too right.

The problem has never been that this is unreasonable. The problem was in asking. In all of human history those with the power and money have never willingly given it back to the people they exploited. It must be taken back by force. Americans lack the capacity to fight that battle.

I dunno, I'm saying they don't need to be billionaires. Capitalism is not some great good that needs to be protected at all costs. It's why I think the humans on their current path are doomed to misery and suffering if not extinction. We can't even take care of each other, let alone the planet.

Just that they're not able to buy their 8th mega yacht

THEY CAN ALL GO TO HELL WHEN THEY MEET THEIR MAKER

and not all billionaires would resist this, some reasonable people like bill gates and mark cuban would be all for it

Warren Buffet.

reasonable, you say?

Buffett's been advocating for higher corporate tax rates for years.

Billionaires at the bottom of the ocean with the other OceanGate passengers is much closer to all I want rather than just "less rich"

Lots of MAGA voters who are undereducated, rural, white, working poor admire, even idolize, billionaires. They will fight tooth & nail to prevent the super rich from paying more taxes. But they villainize educated middle-class professionals, esp scientists working in academia. Why? Who the F knows.

Actually, it’s under REPUBLICAN rule that most of the ‘Capitalist’ policies have made people homeless, more poor, more sick, less environmental guardrails, blah blah…and I believe the lies that GOP policies reduce the deficit is bs. Snake oil salesmen are good at selling worthless information.

It’s not about the money…. It’s about the dominance. Every Conservative is a sadist when you drill down far enough…. it’s about the scrotal thrill of “winning” over others, that’s why there is no amount of money that will satiate….

One might even call it an "unnoticeable" amount less rich. Literally, their quality of life would remain 100% the same.

I'll defend capitalism a little bit in that capitalism has no "morality". Capitalism is the worst economic system there is, except for all the others, but it's up to democracies to put rules and governance around it. It can work for you or it can work against you.

Has no one ever tried capitalism with caps on wealth? That seems like an immediately better system than the current one.

Asking the rich to save longer to afford their next mega yacht? The nerve

Billionaires are parasites.

I want all celebrities to go less rich! I am sick and tired of reading about their glamorous lives all using my $$$. That's not to say I don't want help getting and maybe re-attracting the love of my life - also a celebrity.

In a capitalist system, capital is king. 🤷

But they wouldn't even be less rich. Wealth is relative.

How about *demanding* it together?

Just pay #taxes!!!!!

take the deal. if it was up to me, we would strip the wealth from every gazillionaire that backs fat donnie.

If you give me an address, I'd be delighted to send you a copy of this book, in which I draw on a wide range of scientific and scholarly disciplines to draw the conclusion "just less rich" - but I also think we should have a conversation on how rich, exactly. www.penguin.co.uk/books/451473...

I hope you will take Ingrid up on her offer. The book is well-written, accessible, and effectively argued. It should get the widest possible audience among anyone concerned about inequality, democracy, and the environment, i.e., everyone.

This seems like a very interesting read

Truth Bomb 💣 ❗️

Looking at the heavily leaning socialist nations that's still common vs specific to capitalism. I get that you want to blame capitalism for greed, but greed existed before economics and clearly exists in both capitalist and socialist leaning nations. Economics are like a wrapper for human behavior.

Billionaires should not exist. Tax every penny over $999.99 million at 100%. They'll still be rich as Croesus.

Or, abolish the class of billionaires altogether and distribute their assets. Done!

$100,000,000 would be plenty enough for any human on the planet. I don’t think we should even leave any of them with that much. Idk you’ve gotta pick an arbitrary number somewhere.

It's what happened in Ireland in 1848

I think it important to point out that FDRs New Deal economy was a capitalist economy. What USA have now is oligarchy. When we say 'f*K capitalism!' it gives ammo to the other team. Most capitalist countries have universal healthcare. Less corrupt capitalism is what USA needs, not socialism.

Still waiting for the trickle down.

But look how well that turned out for them in the end when the poor reached their breaking point.

YUP

We’re not even asking for noticeably less rich. People like musk and bezos have more money than they or their families can spend in a lifetime, a very decadent lifetime. A billion is one thousand million and a million is a thousand thousands.

Exactly

Has any of those rich people ever told how much would be enough? Some nice sum that he could reasonably spend over the rest of his lifetime?

Tax wealth over 100Mio and income over 10Mio per year 90% Seriously, who needs more than 100M and who deserves more than 10M/year? Nobody, that's who! It's an aberration we have gotten used to. And it only continues because the rich tell us scary stories of what will happen if they get taxed...

No, I want at least FElon destitute. I want him to go so broke his useless ass is on the street, begging for pocket change. Sleeping outside somewhere and getting woke up by cops and told to move because he's trespassing. I. Want. Him. To. Suffer.

Capitalism is designed to create monopolies.

And the thing is that billionaires have more money then they can possibly use. They are using their riches to make rocket ships to shoot themselves into space. I'm reminded of a dragon sleeping on a horde of gold.

Nice analogy. Where’s the soft underbelly?

It is beyond all logic.

When you sell your soul for success, you invariably try to fill the hole with something else. But there aren't enough drugs, money or fame in the world to ever fill it

Spot on--I just shared it!!!!!

Thank you so much...We hope you and others will donate!! We have a "long" way to go: But even sharing helps us get there!!! Thanks again....

Am yes and actually at the levels we’re talking about, it’s abt less Power. At the billionaire echelons the money wields outsized power - they cannot spend this wealth in their lifetime on normal things. Buying islands shouldn’t be a “right”

Remember when the uber rich of the 20th century (Stanfords, Crockers, Ayers, Rockefellers) developed a conscience in the early 20th century? Can we skip the Great Depression and fast forward to that?

Darn spell check: Stanford, Crocker, Aster, Rockefeller, and... Carnegie)

And still richer than most people can actually comprehend. Some people don't understand how much a billion dollars actually is. You could spend over 150,000 dollars a day and still earn enough through average stock growth that your net worth would be increasing without any other source of income.

Maybe they could have 2 homes instead of 4. Maybe 3 cars vs 4-5. Maybe one less private jet or one less vacation. They can still be rich, but just a little less rich. Taxing the top 5% could make all the difference for everyone else.

its not just considered insane, its considered "radical" and "communism"

If you spent $25,000 a day for a hundred years you still wouldn't spend $1,000,000,000.

How about just a little support for the laborers and consumers who are the life blood 🩸 of your wealth?…and maybe a few shekels for the infrastructure-roads, rails, airports, etc upon which your goods reach market and your wage slaves arrive to toil for your benefit? I KNOW you grasp “self interest”

Elon could give away 99% of his wealth and he'd still have over $400M, which seems comfortable to me. Or give away 97% and still be a billionaire if he wants that kind of label. Sheesh. It's never enough for some people.

Less billionaires would be nice, infact, no billionaires would be even better...

Billionaires are evidence the economy broke.

I think if you asked most people if they had the so-call wealth he has they would want to be building hospitals, funding researching, helping those who need help, building a bigger table as they say. But Elon and his buddies just want more and more and more for themselves.

He is the epitome of avarice.

My husband did very very well as a trial lawyer, but he never forgot where he came from in Newark. Our goal is that we leave this earth with no money left because it has been used to help others. It is so hard to wrap our heads around greedy people and hoarding wealth for generations.

That comment made me think of one of my kid's books. Not sure I'll see that story in the same light again. youtu.be/kksMTGh11e8?...

If ever billionaire actually donated 10% of what they had to struggling ppl. Famine wouldn’t be an issue, waters would be clear, illnesses would be tolerable and curable, and the air would be cleaner. But no they rather shove that money up their ass

You could've fought for the people and still been fabulously wealthy, Chuck @schumer.senate.gov

Faulty premise. Capitalism has nothing to do with it.

CorpsCon: conned by corporations. Karl Marx & Adam Smith said nothing about planned obsolescence although Marx mentioned depreciation numerous times. Planned Obsolescence has been standard procedure since WWII. Economists do not notice consumer depreciation since their NDP algebra is defective.

I'm one of those weird people who tend to ask, why? Do you have reasons?

First if all, what America has is not capitalism the way Smith spoke of. It’s crony capitalism. Second, even crony capitalism doesn’t account for the atrocities the poster mentions. If there is culprit, it’s the rise of an oligarchy and along with it, a flaunting disdain for the rule of law. IMO.

But on your last point, I'm in total agreement. We are no longer a democracy, we are no longer a republic, we are an oligarchy.

I respect your opinion, but I'm not a fan of any form of capitalism

Only the rich find it insane. Just about everybody else is on board.

A billionaire could be half as rich … and still be insanely rich.

Outlaw billionaires. Support Sen. Warren’s Wealth Tax. (I know I should revise this. I tried “Outlaw outlaw billionaires” but that seemed ridiculously redundant. Besides, most sentences need at least 1 noun and 1 verb. Left it to readers to parse that out☺️)

Not even less rich really, just have less money. They will still be just as rich even with less money.

Aristotle says democracy is already gone when you have vast wealth divides ( he argues the demos would naturally correct wealth divide if they were in charge). Plato then says the wealthy must take away democratic rights to protect their position. Nothing new in USA.

Another of the endless reasons why @marthakelly.bsky.social is dreamy.

That's not capitalism. That's sadism.

Actually, I want so see some heads rolling, too. #reasonandguillotinesthatistheplan

It's apparent that Trump & Musk never took an European History course in college, especially to learn about the French Revolution of 1789-1799. It ended up poorly for the govt leaders and upper class wealthy. Or maybe it's bc of Trump and Musk's (et al) hubris and arrogance.

Continuing to get richer will be their downfall. Who does Bezos sell his wares to when all workers are replaced by robots? Who will earn a salary sufficient to purchase a Tesla? What value do these mega-corporations have when they have no customers with income?

I think about this often. If they squelch their customers, how do they think they will perpetuate their wealth into perpetuity? Like regular people are not their enemies. Baffling

Hmm I’ll play. In a Mad Max world gas for example can be ridiculously high but the market is still the market. There are always ppl buying and if they don’t have currency, other things are offered. The wealth converts into power. Though heavy lies the crown. Lots of violence

But is that a sustainable business model? (She asked with her snark wrinkle prominent)

Nope

I think that after 4,000 years of civilisation we should be setting the bar higher than a world where 3,000 folk in an endless desert kill each other over the fuel that put them in their predicament. Maybe Musk and Trump should be made to have compulsory movie nights every Sunday so they understand

No way. Fuck all this wealth. No one needs millions in assets.

Pay appropriate TAX is all we are asking

No its not. The basis of capitalism is making everybody able to by moore.

CorpsCon: conned by corporations. Karl Marx & Adam Smith said nothing about planned obsolescence although Marx mentioned depreciation numerous times. Planned Obsolescence has been standard procedure since WWII. Economists do not notice consumer depreciation since their NDP algebra is defective.

*more

Unfortunately, it's not making everybody able to spell correctly

We are so screwed. #ffs

But...but less rich means we're oppressing them!!! (Sarcasm)

You know, people historically have only asked for so long. And when they quit asking, all bets are off. Sometimes it shakes out better. Sometimes worse, but there always comes a reckoning. Sadly, seems like increasingly like the die is now cast, and it was so avoidable.

The healthiest the US ever was, was when they had a 91% tax at the highest income bracket. It was actually the American dream. Single breadwinner families could afford a house, 2 cars, 4 kids and put them all through college. And then retire, without worry.

Welcome to the second Great Depression.

I would be OK with leaving some of them like Musk penniless, but 'less rich' is a starting point.

Would the one billion not be enough for them?

I have often said that a billionaire - by definition - can piss away a million dollars a year - for a thousand years. but, try to tax one....

It’s a mental disorder they have. Possibly a disease. They certainly aren’t normal by any well adjusted, social human standard.

Per Mel Schwartz - Looking at Greed as an Addictive Dysfunction We are a society that is addicted to abundance and extravagance.

Observing symbiotic relationships in nature tells us what happens when the abundance runs out….

Death

How about if they just donated half of their wealth to programs like animal shelters, domestic violence shelters, food programs and the like? Never happen obviously but that'd be great if one of them actually had a heart and did such.

How about they pay reasonable taxes and then the taxpayers decide where it goes through DEMOCRACY

How about they just pay taxes.

Or taxes.

That is definitely not ALL we are asking for George...

I keep thinking a simple mandatory 1% tax for the top bracket before all their deductions, losses and carryovers would suffice to raise a boat load of money without hurting anyone.

Mmm - mHmm -- yes sir, they're asking that you hold off on your 4th yacht purchase, this year, sir. Something about the workers needing healthcare I think, sir.

No. I think I personally want them poor. Let them see how they like it.

It's just NOT today's capitalistic American ways. MORE is their object, even to breaking the economy which enabled them to amass their fortunes.

I frankly don’t even care elaborate less rich - I care about a system where a teacher pays 33% of her income in taxes and apartheid Clyde pays $0.00. Our system was never intended for the weight of government. To be borne on the back of the middle class

Like when Ike was President.

Fully tax every cent made over $500mil. When your net worth is $500 mil, congratulations, you won at life. Now, pay everything over that because resource hoarding is bad for humanity. What is it Bernie likes to say, that the top 8% have more total wealth than the bottom 50% combined? That's immoral.

Unthinkable, how could they possibly manage with only a few billion/millions?

And that difference wouldn't even be noticeable to them...that's the real tragedy! But no...they want every damn penny...and more. 💔😔💔

What does anyone need a BILLION dollars for?

You won't like the answer. Bribing Congress to go along with the American Technate, a plan Musky's family was involved in during the 1940s. Canada, Greenland, and Panama Canal joining the USA in a new nazi-wannabe party. Digital currency would be the primary medium of exchange. Sound familiar?

In other words, only “needed” for corruption.

What people ignore is that there are alternative methods of managing & distributing a country's resources. There are many disadvantages to them, but if you totally ignore those who benefit the least, or outright suffer, under capitalism then you push them to think about revolution.

The system of rules & contrivances under which it is possible to amount vast "wealth" is not an immutable law of nature, it's just a construct that can be torn down and replaced if enough choose to. Lifting everyone up is not just a moral imperative it's a survival mechanism for capitalism.

No the world does not need any billionaires and anything over some less extreme random number like $100,000,000 should be the limit and everything over SHOULD BE TAXED to pay back the country that facilitated their enrichment. It doesn’t matter even a little what those few assholes like Musk think.

Is she for real or just that stupid?

That's all we WERE asking when we were being generous and nice. Now we're thinking maybe they deserve far worse.

Thought Experiment: Option 1: You earn $1 billion a year while 500 children die of malnutrition. Option 2: You earn $500 million a year and no children die. The sad part is, the more money you have, the less likely you are to consider Option 2.

Is this money corrupting? Or is this because the most common path to being a billionaire is being an awful human being?

Both?

Sweden, Australia, Finland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Denmark are all capitalist countries. A good example of a country that is socialist with capitalist bits is China.

Case in point: truthout.org/articles/mus...

He is a chameleon!!

When your wealth surpasses not just what you need and what you want - when it grows beyond affording you everything you could *possibly* want in the future - when it reaches a point where ledger numbers are meaningless and no longer impact your life - then lives themselves become your playthings.

I truly feel the Space Nazi sees what he's doing as like a real-life Sims game. Tinkering around and playing with "the little people" and their lives, all just for his own amusement. He's bored, I think - what to *do* with all that money???

Extremely rich people are told by their financial advisors, lawyers, etc., to think only about themselves, to have no empathy for the less fortunate. A billionaire who ran for a political office a few years ago asked my friend, a political advisor, whether she was after his money. He lost. 🙂

Yeah, god forbid they only have more than they could spend in 100 lifetimes instead of 1000. Jeez. Hey, the rest of us would love to have enough to make it through ONE even remotely comfortably? I'll even forgo the tacky gold toilets!!

It’s ‘normal’ for people to suffer, but suggesting billionaires need slightly less? That’s the real outrage.

True

Scrooge (pre-redemption) would applaud what's happening in US now.

The wealthiest people get all their wealth from the spending of prosperous households. Impoverishing households is profoundly stupid for rich people. There is so much work that needs doing, good work, and we have the wealth to do it. uswealthclock.com thanks for your work, George — b.rad

The richest man in the world lost £130b over the past couple of months. And he's still the richest man in the world.

That's truly disgusting.

TSLA is still roughly where it was when he bought the Presidency and within its normal price range in the Green New Deal. It's not plummeted or anything. It's just dropped from a high.

Had he not been a douche canoe, and actually leading tesla, he would be $100B richer He got rid of longer term execs and the company is floundering. BYD is destroying them in China and musk is absent This shows that the wealthy just hate paying taxes, not that it would impact their lifestyle

I'm just not at the bit where I am anywhere close to 'gloating'.

It seems impossible to ruin the US economy. But President Trump is making a real attempt. On April 2, his government will impose high import tariffs on imports from all major trading partner countries. Trump is talking about a “liberation day for America”. Who is really subjugating the country here?

Fire trump Fire musk Dismantle the gop

Considering nobody accumulates that much money honestly or ethically, i'm cool with them losing ALL of their ill-gotten gains.

No billionaire is going to go broke paying their fair share taxes.