Bill Gates doesn't have to worry about where is next meal and rent funds are going to come from.

If he wanted sane government policy, he should've run for office (not to discredit the work of his foundation, he has done quite a bit of good) or funded folks to run who align with his ideals. He's not wrong! He just didn't put the effort and resources into having a role in meaningful input.

I've never really liked Bill Gates the Microsoft owner.

However, I do appreciate what Bill Gates the philantrophist has set out to do, putting in his own money (never mind our opinions of how he made that money at MS using arm twisting techniques and such) to actually make the world a better place.

I've never really liked Bill Gates the Microsoft owner, either.

If you appreciate what the Gates foundation has done, consider that it's called the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

I would just note that what you're saying is, he hasn't done enough to help Americans. You are one of the richest Nations on earth and should be able to help your citizens without requiring a billionaire to buy the presidency. what Bill gates has done is improve the lives of many millions of people in less developed countries, but that's not enough for you because you don't benefit or see the benefits for your country.

The US has printed $6T (and more) to bail out the wealthy and investor class. $250B just for unemployment. If developing countries can print even $100B, IMF, World Bank, Moody's, S&P, and the local elite 'brainwashed' by the West want to cut down rates and what not. Yes, the US can take care of its poor, if politicians want to.

In developing countries, even spending $2B on coronavirus is a huge amount, and lead to other problems.

At least, I am happy that Gates is spending his dollars where he can get maximum results. It is like investors wanting to invest in distressed companies and junk bonds: big returns.

I suppose it's to be expected that disdain for the well-being of the economy at large is much higher among people who are comfortable. The people who go online to post memes about how "I'm not going to die to save the Dow Jones Industrial Average!" are generally less likely to be among the 3 million who applied for unemployment benefits last week, and a lockdown is much more fun from the grounds one of your sprawling mansions than from a tiny ill-maintained NYCHA apartment with restless kids.

This. Also, very wealthy people tend to have personnel such as security guards, chefs, housekeepers, drivers, even straight-up butlers and maids. I have no idea which of these Gates has, if any, but will he have the ideological consistency to send them all home and do his own cooking and cleaning for a few weeks or months? And if so, will he ensure these people will at least still have enough income to live on?

Increasing the severity of the shutdown means different things to the richest 20% than it does to the other 80%.

You're making a rhetorical question about a hypothetical scenario?

fwiw Microsoft is paying Microsoft Store employees who aren't currently working due to locations being shut down awhile back (& these locations didn't wait for the government to tell them to shut down): https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-closes-all-microsof...

I know he doesn't run things anymore, but at least I'm not creating baseless accusations

We need to encourage good people to get into government. I tell every young person that if they really want to change the world, run for an office.

Bill Gates should be spending all his money sourcing or manufacturing PPE gear for healthcare workers or otherwise stop grandstanding on the public stage. His “good billionaire” schtick was already running thin before the pandemic.

all his money? hyperbole I know but PPE for healthcare workers won't fix everything, even if you spend 106 billion dollars on it.

You’re right. At least half of it should be spent making ventilators.