Buddy Can You Spare 4000 Billion Dimes?

@WorDazza (15836)
Manchester, England
January 27, 2021 3:59pm CST
I was recently made aware of a quite astonishing statistic. Since the beginning of the pandemic the ten richest men in the world have seen their wealth increase by a total of 400 billion dollars. Now remember, that's not what they're worth in total, that's how much more they are worth since last March. Basically they could pay for the entire global population to be vaccinated against Covid-19 and still be no worse off than they were this time last year. Now I'm not normally one for telling people how they should spend their money but in this case I'm going to make an exception. Get your hands in your pockets guys and relieve the ordinary man and woman of the burden of paying for these vaccines by means of increased taxes in future. And Jeff Bezos I'm looking at you in particular. If you're going to name one company that has profited more than any other from this pandemic then the name on most people's lips would be Amazon. Do the right thing for once! Or I'll be cancelling that order for half a dozen guitar plectrums. That'll show him!
19 people like this
13 responses
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
27 Jan 21
Amazon and many other Big Tech companies should be helping out.
6 people like this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
27 Jan 21
I don't know what it's like in the States but there's a lot of unrest in the UK about the fact the big tech companies are using every loophole in the book to ensure they pay miniscule amounts of tax.
5 people like this
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
27 Jan 21
@WorDazza Big Tech is right beside the new politics here in the US.
5 people like this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
27 Jan 21
@CarolDM I have noticed the propensity for the big tech platforms to very quickly pounce on any perceived infringement by anyone right of centre whereas anyone left of centre tends to be given a free rein to say whatever they want no matter how abusive or offensive.
4 people like this
@Namelesss (3368)
• United States
27 Jan 21
The rich can't stop getting richer long as people keep buying their services and products. Just the facts. But of course they should turn those profits around and do good. But they may not agree.
6 people like this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
27 Jan 21
I don't expect anything from these people. Most of them are exploiting every loophole possible to ensure their businesses UK tax bills are less than many much, much smaller businesses that make tiny profits in comparison.
6 people like this
@popciclecold (35025)
• United States
27 Jan 21
I heard that.
4 people like this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
27 Jan 21
I'm not easily shocked but that did shock me. When you think of the hardship this pandemic has inflicted on millions and these guys are sat back raking it in.
4 people like this
@allknowing (130088)
• India
28 Jan 21
And I will cancel my order for roasted peanut butter with honey (lol)
4 people like this
@allknowing (130088)
• India
28 Jan 21
@WorDazza You mean you would not cancel it as you will find it too tempting? (lol)
3 people like this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
28 Jan 21
@allknowing Absolutely. There are some things worth sacrificing my principles for
3 people like this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
28 Jan 21
Mmmmm, roasted peanut butter with honey!! Not sure I'd go that far
4 people like this
@kaylachan (56253)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
27 Jan 21
You seem surprised by this? Some people are thriving while others continue to struggle. 2020 may be over, but 2021 won't resolve anything.
5 people like this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
27 Jan 21
I'm not surprised at the fact some people are thriving, just surprised at the insane levels at which they're thriving.
4 people like this
@JudyEv (323673)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jan 21
What you say is so true. He can't possibly need, or use, that much money and he could do so much good with it. And well done for cancelling your plectrum order.
2 people like this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
28 Jan 21
I'll just have to grow my nails on my right hand. And then I can poke his eyes out!!
2 people like this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
28 Jan 21
@JudyEv I have those on my left hand fingers now. For a while I couldn't actually feel anything with them.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323673)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jan 21
@WorDazza Our son, a string double bass player, used to tell us he couldn't wash the dishes as the hot water would soften his carefully- acquired callouses.
2 people like this
• Preston, England
14 Feb 21
they lose one dime they panic - obscene amount of money
1 person likes this
• Preston, England
15 Feb 21
@WorDazza I wonder if i'd be like that if I suddenly became rich
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
15 Feb 21
@arthurchappell I doubt it. I think it's something you either have in you or you don't.
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
15 Feb 21
I suppose that's why they're rich and the likes of us aren't.
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (133754)
• Roseburg, Oregon
6 Feb 21
Amazon has probably made lots of money since covid 19 started.
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
6 Feb 21
Just a bit. Jeff Bezos on his own accounts for 80 billon of that 400.
@jaboUK (64363)
• United Kingdom
14 Feb 21
That's amazing that those people have profited so much from something that's causing such havoc to ordinary people.
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
15 Feb 21
That's the problem I have with this. I'm not against people making money under normal circumstances but these are far from normal circumstances.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203718)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jan 21
Glad you're standing tall! Those guitar picks can be expensive.
2 people like this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
27 Jan 21
If it knocks even the tiniest amount off his bottom line it'll be worth the sacrifice.
1 person likes this
@db20747 (43406)
• Washington, District Of Columbia
27 Jan 21
This is a good point. If they pay the percentage of taxes like everybody else, we would get rid of a lot of problems!
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
27 Jan 21
It seems like the tax issue is a worldwide problem. It's certainly a big talking point in the UK.
1 person likes this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
28 Jan 21
As Ronald Reagan once famously said, "The best welfare program is a job." Since these rich guys create them and hire people... I'd say they are doing they're part to share some of that wealth already, and have been doing so for many, many years.
2 people like this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
28 Jan 21
Tell that to the UK tax man. Some of Amazon's individual UK employees are almost paying as much tax as the business!
2 people like this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
28 Jan 21
@porwest I'll have to respectfully disagree on that one. If I have to pay tax on what I earn then I don't see why the same shouldn't apply to companies. They already have an advantage in that they only pay tax on their profits. Not a luxury an individual is afforded. They can also offset a loss against future tax bills. Again not a luxury an individual is afforded. The UK government subsidises the wages of low paid employees so the large corporations can pay as little as legally possible. A government issue I know but one that's fully exploited by the big corporations. Add to that the Corporation tax rate in the UK is lower than the personal tax rate. Seems like they've got a pretty good deal already but still they exploit every loophole to its fullest extent.
2 people like this
@porwest (78726)
• United States
28 Jan 21
@WorDazza As it should be. I don't think corporations should be taxed at all. The contribution they make to society is too great.
2 people like this
@JimBo452020 (42639)
• United Kingdom
3 Feb 21
Totally agree. A large number of countries will experience Vaccine Poverty. Why should the 10 richest men in the world not give something back
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
4 Feb 21
Indeed. Even if they only funded vaccines for 3rd world nations it would be an excellent gesture.
1 person likes this
@JimBo452020 (42639)
• United Kingdom
4 Feb 21
@WorDazza We will do that.
1 person likes this