[A-List] 34 billionaires pledge half of their fortunes

[MARGARET WYLES]

On 8/5/10, Tony B. <tal1 at cogeco.ca> wrote:
> Caveat:
>
> As significant portion of Gates' philanthropic efforts have gone towards the
> destruction of the public school system in America and towards the
> establishment of privatized charter schools. An ongoing strategy that has
> the support of the Obama Aministration.
>
> I rather suspect that much of these 'philanthropic' efforts will similarly
> go towards such socially counter-productive / elitist ventures.
>
> More to the point, however, is the fact - long ago alluded to by Ferdinand
> Lundberg in 'The Rich and the Superich' -  that such philanthropic efforts
> are the end result of a process of mass theft...which booty is then (very)
> partially restored through 'philanthropic' public relations campaigns that,
> effectively, act to justify, legitimize and simply obscure the original
> robbery.
>
Very well stated.  As you allude to,  huge concentrations of money
funneled to the 'right' people serves to promote an agenda that
bypasses popular and constitutional considerations.   Nobody really
gives money away without expecting some kind of payback.

I