Obamas placed an offer on 'mega-expensive' estate in Martha's Vineyard: report

[DSamuels]

A couple of paragraphs down:

“You don’t have to take a vow of poverty just to say, ‘Well, let me help out... let me look at that child out there who doesn’t have enough to eat or needs some school fees, let me help him out. I’ll pay a little more in taxes. It’s okay. I can afford it,’” Obama said.”

And he’s right. You can live in wealth and comfort and still help others. You don’t have to renounce to the privileges your income gives you simply because others aren’t that fortunate. If he can afford a big house and a nice car and help others, good. He doesn’t have to live in an apartment in Queens to be consistent.

In that same article you posted, there’s Zuckerberg saying: “Let’s face it: There is something wrong with our system when I can leave [Harvard] and make billions of dollars in 10 years, while millions of students can’t afford to pay off their loans, let alone start a business.”

And yet, these people are smart because they know the solution isn’t for them to stop making money or to have the same economic troubles other have.

And there is nothing stopping Zuckerberg from taking some of his billions and paying off a lot of people’s student loans. It won’t fix the system, but it would help some people.

Him and his wife have pledged to donate 99% of their Facebook shares - then worth $45 billion - to charity over their lives: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/02/tech ... arity.html

They publicly donated $7.5 million to scholarships for Bay Area DACA recipients, which provided upwards of 400 scholarships: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/201 ... /28886773/

They’ve also donated $75 million to a hospital and run an Initiative that provides grants to organizations. And this is just what they do publicly. I’m not even a huge fan of his, but there’s nothing inconsistent about him being personally generous while not living like a pauper and simultaneously acknowledging systemic problems where he sees them.

Thank you for that information. I did not know that and I think that’s wonderful.

[Momto2boys973]

Well, sad that you don’t read before commenting. If you are that lazy, maybe don’t reply at all. It’s a little disrespectful after someone took the time and effort to write their opinion to just not read it but feel the right to comment negatively on what you didn’t read, don’t you think?

But then... how do you know he hasn’t done anything? Do you have a detailed account of his every cent to prove that he hasn’t done anything? Because Frances over there just made that comment you just made pretty moot...

I’ll answer your first question since I am not reading the book you wrote below it.

I never said they should only criticize if they can solve it. I said they shouldn’t criticize unless they were willing to do something. But nice try at twisting my words.

Good night.

So people should only criticize if they can solve the problem? Gee... that’s horrible.

So let me ask you since another poster avoided the example... are you against child labor? Let me assume yes, you can correct me if you’re all for it and dismiss my post. So that’s a system that has provided you with cheap products, right? It has been beneficial to many people. But come on... that doesn’t make it right. But thing is many families depend on the incomes of their minors to survive. Would you live with as little as possible, the very bare necessities and give your extra cash to them? Are you willing to take them all under your wing and provide for them or do you simply boycott anything that’s made with child labor? Because, you know, doing that means that many children will lose that income and sink more into poverty and you can feel all gooey inside for not being “part of the problem”, but guess what? That doesn’t make you part of the solution, either. But still, that doesn’t mean we can’t be critical of something we perceive as bad in our society, even if we benefit from it. In fact, it takes a lot of guts to stand up and want to contribute to change something that’s been so beneficial for us. So kudos for him for speaking up and chances are, if he hadn’t profited from that system, he wouldn’t have realized its cons. And what’s more, thumbs up to him for acknowledging that it was in part that system what benefited him. It would be so easy for him to take full credit. Because, after all, no one can argue the guy has a lot of credit for his billions. It wasn’t sheer dumb luck or just a lousy system. And yet he’s willing to admit that it wasn’t just him. Try making certain billionaires give credit to anyone or anything other then themselves...

He alone can’t change the system, so it’s absurd to demand that he does. As someone else posted, he is trying to do something to make it better and guess what? Going into poverty wouldn’t help anyone. And really, he doesn’t need to brag about his millions. He earned them fair and square and it’s not like we don’t know the guy is one of the richest people in the world. People who need to brag are those who are insecure about what it is they’re bragging about. I’m sure Zuckerberg is anything but insecure about his finances. What did you expect, false modesty? That’s just egotism in disguise.

So if a person realizes they have so much and does something to help those that don’t, that makes him a hypocrite? The only way to be consistent is to then have nothing yourself?

I don’t really give a rat's ass what he does with his money, or anyone else. But if you’re going to complain or criticize the system that made you rich and you feel guilty, then do something besides bitching about it.

Giving interviews saying the system is broken because you have so much more money than others is just bragging.

[DSamuels]

Oh please. I started reading your post but I, and I dare say most on here, are not interested in reading something that long. Especially very long paragraphs. I try to keep my posts short and break them up. It’s just easier to read.

By the end of the day my eyes are tired and I can’t even read anything on my phone anymore, the print is just too small. Even some things are hard to read on the iPad.

There are a few things we can agree on but you seem more combative tonight than usual. I hope tomorrow is better for you.

Well, sad that you don’t read before commenting. If you are that lazy, maybe don’t reply at all. It’s a little disrespectful after someone took the time and effort to write their opinion to just not read it but feel the right to comment negatively on what you didn’t read, don’t you think?

But then... how do you know he hasn’t done anything? Do you have a detailed account of his every cent to prove that he hasn’t done anything? Because Frances over there just made that comment you just made pretty moot...

I’ll answer your first question since I am not reading the book you wrote below it.

I never said they should only criticize if they can solve it. I said they shouldn’t criticize unless they were willing to do something. But nice try at twisting my words.

Good night.

So people should only criticize if they can solve the problem? Gee... that’s horrible.

So let me ask you since another poster avoided the example... are you against child labor? Let me assume yes, you can correct me if you’re all for it and dismiss my post. So that’s a system that has provided you with cheap products, right? It has been beneficial to many people. But come on... that doesn’t make it right. But thing is many families depend on the incomes of their minors to survive. Would you live with as little as possible, the very bare necessities and give your extra cash to them? Are you willing to take them all under your wing and provide for them or do you simply boycott anything that’s made with child labor? Because, you know, doing that means that many children will lose that income and sink more into poverty and you can feel all gooey inside for not being “part of the problem”, but guess what? That doesn’t make you part of the solution, either. But still, that doesn’t mean we can’t be critical of something we perceive as bad in our society, even if we benefit from it. In fact, it takes a lot of guts to stand up and want to contribute to change something that’s been so beneficial for us. So kudos for him for speaking up and chances are, if he hadn’t profited from that system, he wouldn’t have realized its cons. And what’s more, thumbs up to him for acknowledging that it was in part that system what benefited him. It would be so easy for him to take full credit. Because, after all, no one can argue the guy has a lot of credit for his billions. It wasn’t sheer dumb luck or just a lousy system. And yet he’s willing to admit that it wasn’t just him. Try making certain billionaires give credit to anyone or anything other then themselves...

He alone can’t change the system, so it’s absurd to demand that he does. As someone else posted, he is trying to do something to make it better and guess what? Going into poverty wouldn’t help anyone. And really, he doesn’t need to brag about his millions. He earned them fair and square and it’s not like we don’t know the guy is one of the richest people in the world. People who need to brag are those who are insecure about what it is they’re bragging about. I’m sure Zuckerberg is anything but insecure about his finances. What did you expect, false modesty? That’s just egotism in disguise.

So if a person realizes they have so much and does something to help those that don’t, that makes him a hypocrite? The only way to be consistent is to then have nothing yourself?

[Inmybizz]

Cool.

[Smarties]

I won't begrudge anyone who wants to enjoy their wealth, whether that's Trump or Obama. I expect them to do the same. If Obama gets his house, I hope they love it.

[Deleted User 1344]

I won't begrudge anyone who wants to enjoy their wealth, whether that's Trump or Obama. I expect them to do the same. If Obama gets his house, I hope they love it.

Yep
And Martha’s Vineyard is beautiful.
I’m happy for them!

[cgd5112]

Good for them!

[EarlGrayHot]

Trump lies, cheats, steals, and defrauds people and he has always done that yet you cannot wait to pounce if you think Obama is buying something he can afford without having done that. Pathetic.

[Deleted User 1344]

A couple of paragraphs down:

“You don’t have to take a vow of poverty just to say, ‘Well, let me help out... let me look at that child out there who doesn’t have enough to eat or needs some school fees, let me help him out. I’ll pay a little more in taxes. It’s okay. I can afford it,’” Obama said.”

And he’s right. You can live in wealth and comfort and still help others. You don’t have to renounce to the privileges your income gives you simply because others aren’t that fortunate. If he can afford a big house and a nice car and help others, good. He doesn’t have to live in an apartment in Queens to be consistent.

In that same article you posted, there’s Zuckerberg saying: “Let’s face it: There is something wrong with our system when I can leave [Harvard] and make billions of dollars in 10 years, while millions of students can’t afford to pay off their loans, let alone start a business.”

And yet, these people are smart because they know the solution isn’t for them to stop making money or to have the same economic troubles other have. lol, zuckerberg can donate the majority of his money and still be rich.

Obama on wealth inequality: ‘There’s only so much you can eat. There’s only so big a house you can have.’

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/18/barack- ... n-eat.html

Americans, on average, say that it takes a net worth of $2.27 million to be considered "wealthy," Charles Schwab reports in its 2019 Modern Wealth Survey.

the Obamas' net worth, which is at least $40 million, according to a 2018 GoBankingRates estimate. The New York Post recently pegged their fortune much higher, at $135 million.

there you have it, he can give up at least 37 million dollars and still be wealthy. obama himself seems to think there is a limit to how much wealth one "needs" based on him saying there is only so big a house you can have."

but but, 7,000-square-foot home home with seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms on 29 acres isnt too much house for *him*

Speaking of huge expensive homes, how do you feel about these:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/keithflame ... gends/amp/

How do you feel about this?
https://www.velvetropes.com/backstage/j ... een-house/

[Beachbrat]

Honestly who gives a f**k!? Do we hear about anyone who isn't a former president buying this type of property? No we don't so why do we need to care about this?