i say we give them phobos.
Comment on Overturn Citizens United (and launch billionaires into space)
cecilkorik@piefed.ca 4 days ago
I recommend we allow billionaires to launch themselves into space, on their own dime. Occupy Mars! For the billionaires! So much free real estate waiting to be claimed!
Then the real trick is: once they’ve self-exiled, don’t let them come back. And they will try to come back, trust me. They truly have no idea how much Mars sucks, they are NOT the brilliant clever people they have convinced both themselves and everyone else they are. Let them play their games, then laugh when they discover the consequences.
HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 4 days ago
birdwing@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 days ago
The one issue: what if billionnaires try to keep access to their own wealth through those channels restricted? That is, others can’t claim it. They have proxy defence…
cecilkorik@piefed.ca 4 days ago
They can try, but how can such “wealth” exist without mutual consent? Their entire concept of ownership is predicated on money. We have all bent the knee and pledged allegiance to the concept of “money” but what happens when people no longer choose to remain loyal to it? How do they plan to keep those channels restricted? How much do you have to pay your proxies to protect things on your behalf when money is no longer something that is driving value in people’s lives anymore? How long can you keep money working as a motivating factor when the systems built on it start breaking down?
They have built their lives and plans on the same lies that we have. Those lies are only real because we have all willingly suspended our disbelief and chosen to believe them because it suits us to do so. If it no longer suits us, we no longer need to continue believing, and no matter how hard the small number of billionaires and larger numbers of millionaires insist on believing, it won’t matter. Once enough people stop believing in the lies, it’ll become crystal clear that the wealth was just an illusion all along.
I expect violence, from both sides, the only question is how long it will last and how severe it will be and what things will look like when it ends. I truly hope for something better, and I believe that with wisdom something much better is possible, but I’m not naive enough to expect it.
boonhet@sopuli.xyz 4 days ago
It’s all paper wealth, 99% of it is not tangible assets.
LIkely the companies they own can just vote to revoke those shares, increasing every other shareholders’ value in the process. Will likely first need a new law allowing it in the first place as I’m not sure if that’s legal currently.
Or the government takes control of those shares.
HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 4 days ago
it’s not legal, no. stock buybacks are voluntary, not forced.
boonhet@sopuli.xyz 3 days ago
I figured, which is why there would have to be a law saying that spaced billionaires’ shares can be revoked (or acquired by the government).
daychilde@lemmy.world 4 days ago
Governments are more powerful than individuals, as long as governments are able to answer to The People rather than the oligarchs.
So it all depends. Can we take our government back, or no? If we can, a gentle reminder that taxing the wealthy IS the compromise and the carrot. The stick is guillotines.