Sunday, May 28, 2017

IN the NEWS - Zuckerberg on UBI

"Every generation expands its definition of equality…
Now it’s time for our generation to define a new social contract. We should have a society that measures progress not just by economic metrics like GDP but by how many of us have a role we find meaningful. We should explore ideas like universal basic income to make sure everyone has a cushion to try new ideas.
-Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO
Here we go. Get ready for the media to start hammering the basic income meme.
Why is someone worth $62 billion complaining about inequality? Why is the world’s 6th richest man lecturing the public on the wealth gap, and floating ideas like the government
spreading OUR wealth around while hoarding his own?
In 2015, Mark Zuckerberg claimed he would give his entire fortune away to charity in his lifetime, and promptly formed an LLC for that purpose… as opposed to, you know, a charity. This means that instead of using his own money to help people, he can spend that money on lobbying politicians in Washington to use YOUR money to help people.
See how generous these rich philanthropists are with everyone else’s money?
No, I guess true charity is the responsibility of the rest of us.
Mark Zuckerberg could give away hundreds of thousands of free expensive college educations without his net worth dropping 2%. He could provide a $12,000 grant to 1.7 million people if he actually cares about giving them a chance to “try new ideas”, and still have $42 billion left for a rainy day.
If he is so concerned about people having a cushion to fall back on, why not start a charity that gives free room and board to anyone who wants to come and explore their options for meaningful employment, like an internship?
That’s what I would do, literally open the doors to anyone who feels that they have no other options, provide them that safety net, and train them in the meantime based on their desires and pursuits. He could do this. He could empower people with his wealth.
But he doesn’t.
Instead, Zuckerberg appeals to a victim mentality:
Today, we have a level of wealth inequality that hurts everyone…
When you don’t have the freedom to take your idea and turn it into a historic enterprise we all lose and today our society is way over indexed on rewarding people when they are successful and we don’t do nearly enough to make sure people can take lots of different shots.
Facebook profits $4 billion per year. Why doesn’t Facebook hand out 200,000 $20,000
grants per year to promising young entrepreneurs who could then solely focus on their business venture, giving them the same opportunity Zuckerberg had to create (or steal) Facebook?
But Mark Zuckerberg has other motives.
I have empathy for the poor, for those who truly don’t have an opportunity, and I would sleep easier seeing everyone with a more robust safety net. But what I can’t stand is being lectured by somebody who actually could do something about it, acting helpless without government intervention." ZeroHedge
 
If we ever get to a UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME (handed out by the government) we would truly be in a place where the government could control buying & selling by controlling your bank account-what goes in it and what goes out of it...

And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast,..
Revelation 13:17