Comment Re:I think I know what he wants (Score 2, Insightful) 601
You miss a number of things. For example, much of Bill Gates wealth is NOT cash... it is tied up in things like shares of microsoft, which continue earning him money and PROVIDE for the Philanthropy he is doing. So yeah I can spend 95% of my 56 billion WORTH (53.2 billion) and live off the rest for the rest of my life or lets make it 99%... whatever. But that money is now only used to sustain ME, the deed is done.
Now if you take say 26 billion(the amount Gates has donated over the last 6-7 years and he has donated more and more each year) and leave a large amount unspent(Gates Foundation, Microsoft Shares, other stocks, investments, etc) oh wow... I can easily donate 5-10 billion to charity EVERY YEAR for 50 years and serve NEW problems/causes that arrise, not get wasted on 50 million dollar artwork and bridges to nowhere by the government and be done with it.
What you don't realize is many of the problems you want fixed, the government already HAD the money to fix them, but they spent it on other things to line political pockets and give themselves more power and influence.
Lastly by not spending it all at once, Bill Gates foundation can maintain accountability for the money. If I give an institution 1 million dollars this year, and I see that it is being well spent, I can give them 2 or 5 million next year. So when you see him donate what you think is a "small" amount to a charity, keep in mind that sometimes it is part of an annual donation.
Oh, and after all this, I am NOT a huge Bill Gates fan. Some of it was legitimately earned, some of it not in my opinion. But I AM encouraged by his charity work now with that money combined with Warren Buffet.
Oh, and about your example of "religious charity", what you need to understand is that religions that operate that way(specifically christian ones) are total BS. That is not a biblical view of charity at all, at the church I went to we regularly gave food vouchers to the local grocery store for people who came and asked. (The church is located in one of the poorest ghetto areas as well) Those people almost NEVER came to a church service, nor were they ever asked to. They were never asked their religious background, they were hungry and they were fed. And do you know the funny thing is? The store manager would sometimes not even charge us for the food vouchers so he could help many people he felt needed it. Our charity inspired even more charity. We sometimes even helped people with rent or power bills. It met the NEEDS of the community. Thats the way it is SUPPOSED to work, no strings.
Just because you experienced one thing, doesn't mean its always that way or that you give up on it.
