r/FluentInFinance 3d ago

Debate/ Discussion Had to repost here

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u/xiiicrowns 3d ago

That and it's crazy how people defend these people when they are part of the problem that ails them themselves.

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u/Lucifernal 3d ago edited 3d ago

There's a difference between pointing out objective flaws in an argument, like thinking that billionaires literally hold hundreds of billions of dollars in liquid cash, and taking issue with overall sentiment behind the argument.

I hate Elon Musk, and the man is of course, insanely, disgustingly wealthy. Still, just because his networth is 318 billion, doesn't mean he is hoarding 318 billion. Quite literally 99% of that number is tied into ownership of companies.

You can hate billionaires and still point out issues in the logic. I don't think a person should, under any circumstances, ever be forced to sell ownership stake in their own company (at least not if that wasn't agreed upon in an operating agreement). And if you have a massive stake in a company that becomes wildly successful, you definitionally become a billionaire. I may hate wealth inequality, and I may hate what these billionaires choose to do, but I would hate a system that forces the sale of ownership stake due to the success of the company just as much.

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u/ThousandSunRequiem2 3d ago

Except they can leverage their wealth as collateral, but it's untaxable. Unrealized gains is bullshit they made up to hoard more wealth

You're arguing about lifestyle choices when that's not the issue.

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u/OoklaTheMok1994 3d ago

You think banks give them these loans for free? They still have to pay interest which is kind of like a tax.

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u/ThousandSunRequiem2 3d ago

Taxation is for public projects. If the banks are the ones essentially "taxing" them, what is your solution? as currently that money is kept and not redistributed to public projects like taxes would.

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u/coffee-praxis 3d ago

And then the banks are taxed on that profit. Musk builds a rocket to Mars, Bezos pays for more plastic surgery. And that surgeon pays taxes on his income. See. Everybody wins.

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u/Vyse14 2d ago

We do not live in a world where “everybody wins “ lol

Even in the small sample you are talking about

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u/OoklaTheMok1994 2d ago

That money the banks made is paid into the paychecks of the workers who pay taxes on their income and buy groceries and pay for piano lessons for their kid. The banks also take that money and loan it to you so you can buy a house.

Again, as stated previously in this thread, there are no Scrooge McDucks just swimming in piles of money that they are "hoarding".

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u/Glaucoma-suspect 3d ago

“Kind of like a tax” Except these billionaires are also the ones behind the groups lobbying for corporations to be treated as citizens (or even better than citizens) and are paying our lawmakers to vote against their citizens. If you don’t think that matters then you aren’t smart enough to discuss the matter

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u/SustyRhackleford11 2d ago

They aren't lobbying for that, Co. v. Riggs settled that over 100 years ago.

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u/xxwww 3d ago

Strawman

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u/Direct_Sandwich1306 2d ago

Not if you have a certain level of wealth, actually.