An interesting article in the NYT
For several years now, populist politicians and liberal intellectuals have been inveighing against income inequality, an issue that is gaining traction among the broader body politic, as shown by a recent New York Times/CBS News poll that found that nearly 60 percent of American voters want their government to do more to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor. But in the last several months, this topic has been taken up by a different and unlikely group of advocates: a small but vocal band of billionaires.
Hardly billionaires to the barricades though, the poor dears are just feeling a twinge of guilt perhaps, that I doubt. More like they are worried that the rate of asset stripping has become unsustainable, threatening future profitability.
Only rob a part of their wealth, so that you can rob them again next year. There is no profit in robbing those with nothing. Let them prosper a little between harvests.
The obvious riposte to this new found social empathy
Of course, it may be that some of these outspoken billionaires are not responding to politics so much as playing it themselves. “I’m not surprised to hear the wealthy saying these things, but talk is cheap,” said Dennis Kelleher, the president of Better Markets, which advocates financial reform. “These people know exactly how to move the levers of power and, until that happens, whatever they say is nothing but empty words.”
Oh, they can wax lyrical after all they can afford pretty good PR firms, how much of it comes from any sense of injustice is debatable.
“The messenger matters,” Mr. West said. “When people of modest means complain about inequality, it usually gets written off as class warfare, but when billionaires complain, the problem is redefined” — in a helpful way, he added — “as basic fairness and economic sustainability.”
Yet, absolutely nothing has been done, it is not as if this is suddenly a new event, its been going on for decades, it is how the whole world economy has been designed to function. It is the whole reasoning behind the TTP and TTIP, it's what they are designed to promote.
Lip Service
Insincere support or respect expressed but not put into practice
But, but if the billionaires care it will all get better. Since when? Can anyone find a case in history where the powerful have voluntarily given anything away?
It's always taken a catastrophe, a war, a revolution and what really worries them is they think one, or maybe even all, are coming their way. I suppose it is a little bit better than "let them eat cake" but there are still plenty of those in power. Poverty, hunger, climate change, mass migration and finite resources, not a good mix for anyone. They are just possibly beginning to realize that there well may not be a special enclave that will protect them, they cant make the gates high enough, or move to a more convenient and less ravaged planet.
“Charity? Yes,” Mr. Cohan said. “But leveling the playing field? No.”
Because charity means that, you keep control. [or not sometimes, e.g. the girl scout fiasco]