Bill Gates and Warren Buffet has spearheaded the campaign to convince the billionaires (more than a thousand on the latest count) to give and donate half of their fortune. And so far has managed to get the pledge of 40 billionaires. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38556042/
How will the Giving Pledge affect the economy? --------------------- In NYC there is an intiative to pay kids to go to school, get a library card, parents get money for taking kids to the dentist, etc. with private money. I often wondered if this money is from the Gates foundation or from Bloomberg. We may be able to motivate people with money but what have they learned? What lesson have we taught those who do these things on their own without the motivation of money?
Bill Gates and most other billionaires are attention whores, every once in a while they put on some show like this
I would be more impressed if they dontated half their fortune today instead of waiting until they are dead to donate it. If you have 10 billion dollars right now, giving away 5 billion today will not impact your lifestyle one bit. Why are they waiting? Because they are busy having fun with their money which is more important to them than the charity they wish to give to, but they certainly want you to believe that charity, to them, is more important than their fun.