Bill Gates and Warren Buffett: Solving Problems

I TAKE A LOT OF GRIEF from folks because of my admiration of Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, America's two multti billionaire business and investment superstars. Show a little capitalistic love, and the lefties are out to get you. Gates and Buffett never apologize for their success, but neither do they use it to enhance their self esteem, or so it seems. Both of them seem concerned primarily with getting things done, with improving the state of the world and the quality of life for everyone, rather than basking in any personal glory. Someone pointed out that even after they finished giving away half their wealth, nearly fifty billion dollars apiece, they still have about that same amount left over for themselves. True, I responded, but if one kills the goose that lays teh golden egg, the golden egg itself vanishes. I thought that was a rather clever response on my part. I also pointed out that the rest of us will probably get the rest of it when the two philanthropists depart this world for the next. We do not wish to live in a world in which a very few produce all the wealth, then generously bestow it upon the rest of us idle indolent unemployed poor. What we want is a world in which everyone has a productive life, and a fair, reasonable income and standard of living. Warren Buffett and Bill Gates are simultaneously part of the problem, and part of the solution, just like the rest of us. And both of them are gonna tell you the same thing; running around proclaiming some economic or political doctrine is never going to solve our many and profound problems. But good hard work, common sense solutions, and a little cooperation will.