@joe pockets
But it just fine for the Koch brothers. If we lived in a perfect world all three of their voices would each be no more powerful than my own. As it is, I can’t feel too bad about it since we seem to have the lesser share of billionaires on our side.
I am not disagreeing with you. I agree that too many of the billionaires seem to use their money and influence for a self-serving reason.
There are plenty of guys that have influence on both sides, whether it is Musk, Bloomberg, Gates, Bezos, Soros, Buffet, Ellison.
I think a lot of them, maybe even most, have good intentions and truly want the best for the country.
I think folks just tend to listen to the ones they align with more.
My issue is that when we all say that our voice should be just as powerful as theirs, I wonder if that is really good.
Most folks have a family and job and too many responsibilities to really be knowledgebale enough on many of the key subjects to have a responsible voice.
Most of these guys have a really solid business knowledge. They are also intelligent in a general sense.
But I am not so sure how much of a voice they should have in areas they clearly are not true 'experts' in.
Is Gates really the guy that should be pushing pandemic advice, even though I am certain that he means well.
Is Ellison really the guy that should be allowed to own, and hence, control so much of the media and social media like TikTok. There is always going to be a question that he is pushing his agenda.
Think about Soros and Bloomberg or Musk and Zuckerberg having too much influence.
Even though a lot of these guys are very well-rounded in many subjects and very intelligent, I sometimes think they have too much of a sense of what they think they know is best for everyone else.
It is one thing for lawyers, business owners, health providers, and education folks to have a voice in what we know are their fields of expertise.
We may not agree with them or their agenda. But at least we recognize that it is their field of expertise.
But just because someone is wealthy and successful and smart -- should they have an over-abundance of say and influence.
On the other hand, you can make a very good argument that the West and the USA was built on the knowledge from these well-rounded renaissance type of guys.
That is why I have such issue with the lobby and PAC groups.
But if the average person cannot be bothered enough to study up on the issues (or does not have time or the ability to digest the subject) should we simply leave it up to the people that do.
It is such a tricky subject because the average person has become so much less informed over time through laziness or lack of a good education system. So, now folks have to rely more and more on social media and friends to make their minds up for them.
Then folks are still 'overly' influenced by these same wealthy folks even if they did not have the direct ear of the politicians.
Sometimes you have to question if everyone should really have a voice if they are not clearly informed or are easily swayed.
That is my rant on a very good point you make above.
