Said Thanks to a Rich Person Lately?

Have you thanked a rich person lately?

One theme that we often see in threads on economic topics is the "evil" rich. You get the usual talking points talking about wealthy inequality, etc. While I don't think the wealthy or the poor are angels, I've long though most of the criticisms originate from jealousy. However, one thing I've noticed is that these critics fail to mention the good that the rich do.

I really think a lot of people really have no idea how much money and resources are provided by the wealthy for the good of society. Millions and billions of dollars that they often get little recognition for.

Every year I participate in a long distance motorcycle ride to raise money for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. A network of hospitals for children. What has often struck me when visiting the hospitals in different cities is how almost all of the hospitals are banked rolled by some "evil" rich person. These hospitals provide life saving medical care without regard to ability to pay. The halls are filled with plaques of families, trusts, businesses, etc who have given substantial sums of money to fund these hospitals.

It isn't just hospitals though. It is museums, schools, and all manner of other education and cultural institutions in every major city that often has rich benefactors behind the scenes.

The richest guy locally here in Chicago, is Ken Griffin. He started / runs the hedge fund Citadel. One of the most successful in the industry. I think he is worth about $8 or $ billion. Young guy too... only in his late 40s. Started trading in his dorm room while in college. Anyway, I was curious about his charitable giving.

Last year he gave $125 million to the University of Chicago economics department for financial aide... “I expect over the remainder of my life to give frankly well over a billion or several billion dollars to higher education,” Griffin said Wednesday in an interview on Bloomberg Television. “I think this is so important to our society that every single young man and young woman in our country has access to our best schools and our best schools have the ability to fund the research that will keep America competitive in the global landscape.”

I know he has also given tens of millions to the museums here locally as well.

I'm sure some people will poo poo this thread. However, I challenge you to look around your city at the parks, museums, education institutions, operas, theaters, animal shelters, food pantries, etc and see what has been given by the wealthy. I think you'd be surprised if you take the envy glasses off.

Flame away...

a reply to: Edumakated

Right, have you thanked any poor people lately ? Do you think they deserve being thanked for doing all the dirty menial jobs for low pay or is it just the rich we should be thankful for...

a reply to: Edumakated

No, because most of the ones I've ever met are complete #heads and wouldn't give the time of day let alone "donate" to anything.

On another note, have you thanked a plumber or cleaner lately?

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: Edumakated

Right, have you thanked any poor people lately ? Do you think they deserve being thanked for doing all the dirty menial jobs for low pay or is it just the rich we should be thankful for...

I thank them with a paycheck...

originally posted by: myselfaswell
a reply to: Edumakated

No, because most of the ones I've ever met are complete #heads and wouldn't give the time of day let alone "donate" to anything.

On another note, have you thanked a plumber or cleaner lately?

Considering what I paid my plumber on the last visit to my house, I don't think he is hurting for money...

Nope, haven't said thank you to a rich person lately. I have in the past, some rich people are good people in this country. Lots are not good though and they kind of mess it up socially for the good rich people. Some of the old time rich would create jobs for the people with decent pay and benefits, working most of their life to keep their community thriving. Now, the number of rich like that is dwindling and the young do not want to do physical labor much anymore, they want to collect a paycheck, not work for a living.

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: Edumakated

Right, have you thanked any poor people lately ? Do you think they deserve being thanked for doing all the dirty menial jobs for low pay or is it just the rich we should be thankful for...

Just the rich. Or at least those that made their money through ingenuity, hard work, and novel ideas...

You champion a demographic that settled...truth is - this really is the land of opportunity, at least to those that rise up and drive on.

Free hand-outs to the left...watch out for the needles and the feces.

a reply to: Edumakated

People with means, as you might expect, are substantial givers. Middle-class Americans donate a little less. But the lower-income population surprises by giving more than the middle—and in some measures even more than the top. (As a percentage of available income, that is. In absolute dollars, those in higher income groups give much, much more money.)

Bolding by me.

As I suspected. What a bunch of tight fisted pricks.

Tight As Bro

a reply to: Edumakated

Said Thanks to a Rich Person Lately?

Every time I trade moments of my life for the imagined value of a piece of paper with “Federal Reserve Note” printed on the front.

I figure in 2018 that’s enough.

originally posted by: myselfaswell
a reply to: Edumakated

People with means, as you might expect, are substantial givers. Middle-class Americans donate a little less. But the lower-income population surprises by giving more than the middle—and in some measures even more than the top. (As a percentage of available income, that is. In absolute dollars, those in higher income groups give much, much more money.)

Bolding by me.

As I suspected. What a bunch of tight fisted pricks.

Tight As Bro

Maybe you should read the entire study...

The other factor accounting for the high level of donations among low-­income Americans is that a significant minority of them are religious tithers who powerfully push up the group average through sacrificial giving. If you look at what fraction of each group gives, various studies show that the rate of donation among low-income persons is actually half or less of what it is for the rest of the population. Only about a third of low-income individuals give any money at all in a year. But those who are givers tend to be extremely generous, with a third or half of them giving at least 5 percent of their income. These sacrificial givers motivated heavily by religion are found much more among what might be called the working class (households making $25,000-$45,000 in current dollars) than among the truly poor.

Further...

The 1 percent

High-income households provide an outsized share of all philanthropic giving. Those in the top 1 percent of the income distribution (any family making $394,000 or more in 2015) provide about a third of all charitable dollars given in the U.S. When it comes to bequests, the rich are even more important: the wealthiest 1.4 percent of Americans are responsible for 86 percent of the charitable donations made at death, according to one study.

originally posted by: Edumakated

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: Edumakated

Right, have you thanked any poor people lately ? Do you think they deserve being thanked for doing all the dirty menial jobs for low pay or is it just the rich we should be thankful for...

I thank them with a paycheck...

So that's a no, a pay check does not constitute a thankyou, it's payment for slave labor. Your entitlement is showing...

a reply to: Edumakated

I live in a rural area. We don't have high speed. We don't have cell coverage. We don't have access to a hospital that's closer than 40 minutes.

Go further north. There are communities that are still under a boil water after several decades.

Flint, Michigan could really use some of that help.

I'd have more trust for a rich person that didn't get a tax break or a kickback.

Like others have said, the rich people I've known in my life have all been jerks.

If I ever meet a truly nice rich person, I'll thank them for their kindness, not for what they've done with their wealth.

My respect can't be bought with money.

originally posted by: Edumakated

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: Edumakated

Right, have you thanked any poor people lately ? Do you think they deserve being thanked for doing all the dirty menial jobs for low pay or is it just the rich we should be thankful for...

I thank them with a paycheck...

Thank them with an even bigger paycheck by not allowing illegals or otherwise legal immigrants to flood their job market willing to work for far less and therefore lowering their pay rates.

No, not going to either unless given a reason. I don't hate the rich, but I'm not going to lick their nuts.

a reply to: Edumakated

I thank Everybody,,, on their Merit.
Rich,Poor,Religion and Skin Color aside.

If you are lazy and too stupid to better
yourself, do not expect any hand outs from me.

If you have Soul,
I will lend a hand always.

I have many Sins and Foolish Mistakes to pay for.
Maybe I will live long enough to Balance the Scale.
S&F

a reply to: wtfatta

Hold on tight.
Righteous roads ahead.

a reply to: myselfaswell

Arrogant A holes,
need adjustment.
We all clearly agree on that.
www.youtube.com...

The truly wealthy people are so
in Body,Mind,Spirit, and treasure.

Do not let your judgments block
your potential opportunities.
SAVVY?

a reply to: Edumakated

Flame away..

Best part of the whole thread.

Define rich. Define Poor.
I give thanks to those who I interact with; hold the door open at the gas station or other applicable areas, as appropriate.
I do not ask them their net worth. Honestly I do not care about an individual's net worth. I met my first music star at the age of 16. I was not impressed with them socially. Because of my work (entertainment) I have met top athletes, actors, musicians, and politicians.
While I enjoy the products these individuals produce (or not). It is the people I interact with on the day to day. Not the Board members who are impressive CEOs, not the "talent;" I'm much more in favor of the cook that knows my team is hungry and will come in 5 minutes after they should have turned off the fryer.
Those folk get the thank you and the large tip.

originally posted by: Edumakated

I really think a lot of people really have no idea how much money and resources are provided by the wealthy for the good of society. Millions and billions of dollars that they often get little recognition for.

Those taxes gotta be collected some way.