Readers of this blog know that I am often
hard on the selfishness and self serving manipulations of the ultra rich in
this country that control over half our countries wealth. This does not mean I
am anti wealth. Jesus never said it was good to be poor, but he did point out
the responsibilities of wealth, “from whom much is given much is required.”
There are many who have followed that moral
dictum. Some after they screwed their competitors to get rich, i.e. Carnegies,
Rockefellers, etc. with acts of philanthropy such as public libraries. But
there are others who combine this but also see the responsibilities of wealth
and respond appropriately. I mentioned in a previous article Teddy and Franklin
Roosevelt, the Lodges and the Kennedys using their money and power to work for those in
need and the common good.
The poster boy for modern millionaires,
without a doubt in my mind, is Warren Buffet. Buffet is well known for his
challenge to fellow billionaires to give half their wealth to charity as he
has. Bill and Melinda Gates notably have responded to that challenge and have
done so. The Good News Network reports that 11 more billionaires have taken
Buffet’s pledge. Now we have 92 families from ages 28 to 97 that have vowed to
give away half the assets. They include:
BILL
AND KAREN ACKMAN
That's the way to do it: money helping people, instead of going to government elites, who amass power and enrich themselves while giving lip service to service to the poor, needy, indigent.
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