Taken from the Bill Gates Foundation Website -
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving peoples health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. - Bill Gates Foundation - Fact Sheet
Yeah... just like you said. Fuck that!
Oy vey. :no:
That wasn't the point of that post. Someone suggested that Warren Buffett "put his money where is mouth is" and make donations. I listed several to show that person (who really doesn't give a damn anyhow) that Buffett actually does make huge donations to various causes, and considering what the Bill Gates Foundation attempts to do with its donations I felt it was one worth noting. It wasn't intended to reflect anything else but that. Nobody, not even Warren Buffett, has enough money on their own to completely reverse decades of economic screw-ups and flawed government, so whatever you're ranting about in regards to Warren Buffett's donations is irrelevant.
Ranting, LOL! I can't believe you used a mission statement to justify your comments.
Charitable foundations have long been used by the super rich as a way of avoiding tax whilst maintaining control of their assets - simultaneously appearing philanthropic, whilst exerting greater influence via lobbying, tacit & transparent, pushing corporate agendas transnationally, whilst holding economic clout in both the charitable & financial sphere.
A foundation need only disburse 5% of its assets annually - investment return is normally greater than this. At any time, charitable exemption may be revoked, personally or externally, at which point, ALL assets return to the foundation owners.
This is why Buffet set up a stipulation that his contribution had to be spent & matched during the year. However, his contribution is over 20 years, so it doesn't affect the 5% disbursement - it just makes it look like that foundation is disbursing more.
The Gates' foundation invests in areas completely contrary to its alleged aims. I know several massive charitable trusts that run hedge funds & investment companies, & as major shareholders exert enormous influence over the media & the gamut of industrials. For all we know, Buffet's donations are also attached to a demand to invest in certain areas, including his own areas.
A couple of the myriad charitable tax dodges anyone can indulge in:
TV stars in charity tax dodge inquiry - Times Online
Charity Donation | IRD After Tax-dodge Fundraisers At Sausage Sizzles
In summary, it's still the rich keeping control of their assets & influence unlike 99% of working stiffs, who dutifully hand over the cash that they earned to the government.