Here’s something I’ve been chewing on lately, and I don’t know if it makes me naïve or just honest: What’s the real deal with billionaires—the mega-rich? Are they a menace to society, misunderstood innovators, or just people who happen to play the biggest game on Earth?
I’m not here to defend or demonize anybody. I’m a 76-year-old former Marine living out my days in the Philippines. I’ve seen enough of life to know this: being rich never appealed to me. Not because I hate money, but because it comes with more baggage than an airport carousel. The more you have, the more people want. The bigger your target is for scammers, grifters, and opportunists. At a certain level, wealth becomes a full-time security operation, not a lifestyle.
But here’s what puzzles me.
There’s a loud chunk of the population that hates billionaires on sight—accusing them of exploitation, greed, slavery, tax evasion, moral decay, and plotting to take over the world. Sometimes the rage feels like pure envy, like watching a guy in a yacht triggers something deep inside the human ego. But other times, the criticism points to real questions we should at least talk about.
Let’s break this down without fear or favor.
Jealousy vs Fairness
A lot of anti-billionaire sentiment comes from envy. Someone with a Gulfstream, a staff of 400, and a zip code that doesn’t even include the rest of us—well, that can stir resentment.
But not all criticism is jealousy. Some of it comes from legitimate concerns:
• Did they build something… or rig something?
• Did they innovate… or exploit loopholes?
• Are they powerful… or just too powerful?
People lump it all together and call it “the rich.” But it’s never that simple.
Do Billionaires Pay Their Fair Share?
In raw dollars? Yes. A billionaire realizing $50 million in taxable income pays more in one year than most Americans will pay in several lifetimes.
But much of their wealth is tied up in stocks, companies, and appreciating assets, not paychecks. You only pay taxes when you sell something. So many ultra-wealthy individuals:
• Borrow against assets
• Delay realizing gains
• Keep taxable income low
All legal. Meanwhile, everyday Americans pay:
• Payroll tax on every paycheck
• Sales tax on every purchase
• Property tax or higher rent
That’s where resentment grows: “How does the billionaire pay a lower percentage than the mechanic?”
Both sides have a point.
Do Billionaires Create Jobs?
Sometimes yes. Sometimes absolutely not.
There are four types of rich people, and confusing them creates half the arguments.
- Builders – They invent, create, and hire.
- Extractors – They buy companies, gut them, lay off workers, and cash out.
- Crony Capitalists – They thrive on subsidies, bailouts, and political protections.
- Heirs – Born on third base and think they hit a triple.
When people say “billionaires create jobs,” they mean Builders.
When they say “billionaires destroy lives,” they mean Extractors and Cronies.
Both groups exist.
Did They Step on Toes?
Some did—absolutely. History is full of robber barons, sweatshops, and financial snake oil salesmen. Others built their fortunes cleanly. Most operate in the messy gray areas where ambition, opportunity, and temptation meet.
And Hollywood hasn’t helped. Every movie villain is a rich CEO with a secret lair. That image sticks.
Are They Greedy, Soulless Monsters?
Money doesn’t kill character. It magnifies it.
If you’re generous, wealth amplifies your generosity.
If you’re selfish, wealth gives you a longer reach.
If you’re corruptible, wealth gives you new hallways to wander down.
Temptation scales with access. Cutting a corner worth $50 million is a different psychological animal than cutting a corner worth fifty bucks.
Not everyone passes that test.
THE PART THAT REALLY ANGERS PEOPLE: WHEN MONEY BUYS THE SYSTEM
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most people aren’t furious because billionaires are rich.
They’re furious because they believe the rich can buy American justice itself.
And frankly? The evidence doesn’t always reassure.
Can Judges Be Bought?
Officially, no.
In reality, judges are human. Some have been caught taking gifts, trips, or favors. And for every one who’s caught, how many weren’t?
A judge isn’t a saint. They’re a person. People can be influenced.
Can Politicians Be Bought?
As easily as a beer on a hot day.
Congress spends more time dialing for dollars than legislating. If someone drops a check with more zeroes than a NASA launch schedule, that politician suddenly becomes very attentive to their “policy preferences.”
It’s not bribery. It’s “advocacy.”
Are Lobbyists Just Professional Purchasers of Legislation?
Pretty much.
Lobbyists show up with:
• Draft bills already written
• Money from member associations
• Promises of political support
• Or veiled threats of political consequences
That’s not corruption.
That’s Tuesday in Washington.
Is Justice Based on the Depth of Your Wallet?
Watch any major trial involving a billionaire, celebrity, or Fortune 500 executive.
Think O.J. Simpson or Robert Blake – just two celebrities who were obviously guilty but acquitted because they were too big to fail.
A broke man gets a public defender juggling 300 cases.
A billionaire gets 20 attorneys who can find loopholes inside the loopholes.
Does money guarantee acquittal? No.
Does it tilt the playing field?
Only someone who’s never been in a courtroom would say no.
Who Else Can Be Bought?
Influencers.
Academics.
Regulators.
Think tanks.
Nonprofits.
Celebrities.
Journalists.
Illegal aliens.
Some know exactly what they’re doing.
Others simply “follow the incentives” and tell themselves a nice story about it.
Does Everyone Have a Price?
That’s the darkest question of all.
I’d love to say “no.”
But history says otherwise. Most people can be tempted. Most can be pressured. Most can be bought—if not with money, then with status, ego, or fear.
A small minority can’t be bought. They’re the reason civilization still functions.
Money doesn’t just tempt people.
It tests them.
And most fail the test.
This is why people distrust billionaires. Not because they have money—
but because in America, too many things are for sale that should never be for sale.
BOTTOM LINE
I’m not anti-success. I’m not pro-envy. And I’m certainly not here to kiss the ring of anyone with nine zeroes in their net worth.
What I’m saying is simple:
Wealth itself isn’t the enemy.
Cronyism is.
Greed is.
Systems that reward cheating are.
Envy is.
Me? I never wanted to be rich enough to need a security detail. A cold beer, a beach breeze, and a quiet life in the Philippines suit me fine. I have been accused many times of lacking ambition. Maybe it’s true, I never possessed the fire in my belly to always want more.
But we should at least be honest when we talk about wealth. It’s not pure evil. It’s not pure virtue. It’s human beings with supercharged incentives and supercharged temptations.
Some handle it gracefully.
Some turn into monsters.
Most fall somewhere in between.
People like Leona Helmsley, the “Queen of Mean” with her Maxine Waters frowning smirk likeness and her harsh treatment of those beneath her. These kinds of rich people really make our blood boil with their holier than thou, I’m better than you attitude, remember her? She once declared, “only the little people pay taxes,” words that set off a scandal during her trial for federal tax evasion and other charges in 1989. She was convicted of underpaying taxes and, after losing her appeal, began her eighteen-month prison term in 1992. And America had the last laugh.
And somewhere in that messy middle is the truth we ought to be talking about.
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Very well handled of a rich [no pun intended] and complex topic. Reblogging now
Thank you, appreciate the re-blog