I agree about the ones on the teat. But I know some friends and acquaintances who work full time, and some at 2 jobs, who can't pay for food, rent, and medical care. They have to choose at times. No luxuries for them. Are those people to be ignored?? They aren't welfare slugs. And there are millions of such people in the U.S. And for anyone who says - "just go back to school and learn a new skill-set" - where does that money for re-training come from?? And for which jobs, since AI is going to eliminate millions more currently-existing jobs??
Not all ultra-rich give back to the communities either. Many of the richest have inherited wealth too - dynastic wealth. Many, many ultra-rich get that way from exploiting the people who work for them too. Let's face facts. I won't bad-mouth those who pay to build cancer treatment centers, etc. - but not all ultra-wealthy do those things. I'd just like to see them pay more for their employees' health coverage. As a stockholder in a number of companies, I'm not in favor of insane compensation packages for the CEO's, when the people who actually do the work in those companies have to shell out of their pockets for their health coverage. How about trimming some of the CEO's ridiculous compensation, and sharing some of the profits with the employees - or hiking stock dividends??? Every year those CEO's get $$$ multi-million $$$ pay packages whether the company does well or not. Here's a fact that I'll bet lots of folks don't know or are aware of ....... for most CEO's of big companies, their contract - upon their hiring as CEO - has written into it a "golden parachute" severance package that is always worth multiple millions. It also usually includes use of the company jet(s), helicopters, and a slew of "preferred stock" and options that they cannot lose money on when they sell them. They get all that loot even if they run the company into the ground, and tank the stock (Carly Fiorina - ex Hewlett Packard CEO - is a good example.) These CEO's cannot lose, because it's written into their contract when they're hired. How many of the gents on here who aren't CEO's of big companies (but may work for a big company) can eff-up and be guaranteed to walk away with multiple millions - or even 1 more week's pay??? CEO's can make bad decisions and STILL get their fat compensation packages every year ........ and golden parachute packages when they leave (fired or retiring). I'm not against CEO's being compensated well - just not at ridiculous, insane levels. They'll never be hurting. IMO - something's way off here.