• vortic@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    So, get this. The 20 wealthiest people in the US hold a collective $3T according to Forbes. In 2025, just under 800,000 Americans experienced homelessness during the year. That means that the 20 wealthiest people in the country could give $3.75M to every homeless person in the country. By giving away only 10% of their wealth, they could give every person who experienced homelessness $375k.

    Now, I don’t necessarily think that giving large amounts of money directly to people who are experiencing homelessness but $375k per person would do a LOT of good if put into a trust whose entire job is to fund programs to help the less fortunate.

    Also, there are a lot of problems in this country that could benefit from funding. I’m just giving numbers as food for thought. These billionaires are hoarding wealth to such an obscene degree that they could essentially end homelessness in the US with 10% of their wealth.

    Hell, if he could liquidate all of his assets (not possible, I know) Elon Musk could essentially solve the homelessness problem single-handedly.

    • CannonFodder@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      It’s not like they’re holding 3T cash. What good would giving shares in companies do? If they all tried to sell them, the price would collapse.

      • AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        That do they specifically do they don’t have to pay taxes, not because that’s the only way CEOs get compensated

      • vortic@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Yes, billionaire’s money is largely tied up. They could structure how their earnings are managed, though. Musk sees much faster growth than would be expected from a conservative growth portfolio. If he were invested for conservative growth though, at an average interest rate of 5-6% and he gave away only his interest he could give every person experiencing homelessness in the US $50k/year forever.

        He could easily structure things in such a way to make that happen.

        • Leon@pawb.social
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          1 day ago

          It’s not so much that it’s tied up, but rather that it’s not real yet can still be used as economic leverage. Elon Musk taking out a massive loan to buy whatever because his company is worth this and that isn’t functionally that different from me taking out a loan because I might win big at the lottery sometime within the next 50 years.

          At some point they start playing fast and loose, and then you end up with bubbles that the rest of us have to pay for because all that imaginary money has to come from somewhere.

      • explodicle@sh.itjust.works
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        2 days ago

        $375k is an absurd amount of money to most people. They’d only have to sell a little to get back on their feet, and then they’d have some decent savings left.

        • Tinidril@midwest.social
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          1 day ago

          Hell, $37.5k would do so much good. Just 1% and it would give so many people a fighting chance again.