Forum Post: Is George Soros part of the Good 99% or the Bad 1%?
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 12, 2011, 8:46 p.m. EST by SmallBizGuy
(378)
from Savannah, GA
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
As a OWS protester, how do you feel about George Soros?
Until he himself picks a side, I'll regard him as part of the problem in re OWS and its goals, however charitable his works. If he's not part of the solution...
By the way, the same goes if he or his media try to co-opt the movement. Co-opters must GTFO. AFAIK he has made no such statement, and hardline co-opting hasn't really materialized yet.
I don't think that you have to worry about the Republicans. They have pretty much "F"ed up any chances of co-opting the OWS group.......what dumb asses....and I am a Republican. Just another reason for Republicans (like myself) to replace the current leadership. They have poor judgement to say the least.
"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime."
You don't get to the top by playing nice. Sure some may be worse then others but who cares. Soros and the Koch brothers, they are just the boogeyman the MSM uses to scare people.
The "crime" is not that we have rich people...The "crime" is that we have poor people; However, I know what you were saying.
PS......without sounding too ignorant....what does MSM stand for?
Main Stream Media. Fox News, MSNBC, CNN ... The list goes on.
Got it!
George Soros is a rich douchebag. Don't buy into the memes that he is somehow funding this or any other organization.
all people have a good and bad side. george soros has his. Over all hes a part of the problem, and over all hes persona non grata- like all would be con scam co-opters of the movement.
Don't know enough about him to give an opinion.
Sooooorrrooosss! Koch! Sooorrrrrooossss! Koch! Sorrrrosss! Koch!
See my username? the beast chases its tail focusing on and arguing about Soros/Koch.
You shout SOROOOOOSSSS! I scream KOCCCHHHHH! And we remain divided. Nothing changes.
Soros/Koch are not relevant to my desire to see things change for the better.
You win the apple. That was actually my point. When we start to take sides with our "favorite rich guy", the whole OWS movement argues with itself, and accomplishes nothing. We all have to agree to get ALL of the money out of the system. It's the only way to move forward. I am part of the 1%; However, that is due to my income....not my philosophy.
+10000000 right on
George Soros is not so much a man as he is a force of nature.
I hate to give him that much credit....but....you are probably correct.
I dunno... I thought it was more of a put down. Forces of nature have no free will. It's not just Soros.
Jamie Johnson, of the Johnson&Johnson clan, directed a documentary called, "The One Percent", in which he questioned his own family's extraordinary wealth. He interviewed Warren Buffet's granddaughter, Nicole Buffet, who was subsequently disowned by Warren Buffet for going on camera and talking about her family with Jamie. Interestingly, Nicole confessed in the interview, “I definitely fear judgment. Money is the spoke in my grandfather’s wheel of life”.
Money is the spoke in Warren Buffet's wheel of life... more like the axle. When your whole life is about making money, and keeping money, there is very little room for anything else, including love, family, and all the little things that the 99% of us can learn to appreciate about the human experience. Maybe not being rich isn't so bad?
I chose to start a business many years ago. It is all-consuming. I make a lot of money; However, I will be taking my first vacation in over 5 years in December to visit my daughter in Hawaii (she is a flaming liberal...LOL). My point is....I would not want to be poor....but....being rich isn't all that great either. If I had to do it over, I would choose "upper" middle class. Just a little food for thought for the newbies out there.
I am helping my aging uncle run his business right now. It's not easy. Competition is increasing. The economy is hurting the businesses that rely on us for support - therefore less business for us too.
As for being middle-class, I was doing my Ph.D. in neuroscience before I decided to start over and join a small business. The reason: there are fewer and fewer jobs for Ph.D.'s in big pharma, biotech, or in contract research. Only 5% of graduates actually go on to be professors. The few I've seen starting research labs from scratch average a 72 hour work week, and spend most of that time burned out from grant-writing. As for all those new Ph.D.s flooding the market, many of them stay in academic research labs as post-docs, making little over $2500.00 a month after taxes. They also suffer career death as most long-term post-docs are considered undesirable for faculty positions. Some go on to teach, but today teaching jobs are also disappearing. Some, to make sure they don't have employment gaps in their resume, are taking 12 dollar an hour positions, or are working for free.
I wish there were a middle-class to go to, but, without the 1% willing to inject some of their wealth back into the system, the upper middle-class lifestyle (the ones who support the 1%) costs too much to maintain on the east coast.
Ph.D. in neuroscience!.....ouch!......you just gave me a huge "inferiority complex". It's the same complex I get when I eat dinner with my plastic surgeon buddy (he's too damn smart...also).
I don't have any good answers to your career problems; However, I can tell you this....I have a good friend that left the Georgia State Oceanographic Institute due to similar reason that you listed. He is now living the "good life". He became a Kite-boarding instructor. He doesn't make a lot of money; however, he will gladly tell you that he made a great decision.
lol... that's great to know. man, i'll tell you, back in 2009 I had the fortune of going down the florida keys. i went parasailing for the first time in my life, and i realized that it was just two guys running that business... taking people out with a boat and a parasail. "What a life", I thought to myself. So I believe your friend when he says he's happy.
Why the inferiority complex? Never let an educated person intimidate you, and always seek to educate yourself. Education does not guarantee that the educated person has any class or common sense. Some of them can be pompous, self-aggrandizing assholes, who use their intelligence for very base and ignoble goals. I've met too many "educated elite" and they don't impress me. Not knowing you at all, I can say I respect you a lot more than some of the doctors and scientists I've met because you're a self-made man.
I am "almost" educated. I was an economics major at Georgia State University in Atlanta. I passed all of my classes...except I failed statistics twice (statistics sucks). I could have made it up over the summer. I opted instead to go surfing in California. I never went back to get my degree.
I own 3 US patents on the products that I sell. Moral of the story.....there is none. I just like chatting with you.
lol cool man... it's good knowing that there are people who can survive in small business even in this economic environment. lol there's no such thing as "almost" educated. you were short one class, you passed all the others. You're educated my friend. You make money and control your own economic destiny... that's a lot more than many people who hold that scrap of paper (with B.S. written on it --- for baccalaureate of science) can say.
FYI.....my wife, my kids, my 5 dogs (yes...5...all mutts from Humane Society), my employees, and my customers control my destiny. The government has tried....but I won't let them. I do have a $400,000 "Harvard" education that I got when my first company went bankrupt. My partner ran out on me....but, I paid (still am) all of my creditors back. So....I guess I do have an "education".
"FYI.....my wife, my kids, my 5 dogs (yes...5...all mutts from Humane Society), my employees, and my customers control my destiny" all wonderful things to work hard for... not even a concern IMO. I'm glad that you have such a wonderful life. I hope it makes up for the rough start. I'm going through my rough period now... my ex-wife married me for citizenship. I completely fell for it though. I paid out the nose through the divorce (she got the new car, the ring, most of the furniture, thousands of dollars).... I got left with legal fees. Thank God for my family, who bailed me out. Any advice for a guy in a similar situation?
Ouch!....that sucks.
My wife is not a US citizen. She is from Sweden. She only has a "Green Card". We have been married for over 15 years. Her lack of citizenship may be why our marriage has been successful. I remind her, every once in a while, that I could have her tossed out of the country.....she reminds me that as an "ex" European fashion model, she could have any husband that she wants. She's right....I'm wrong. That's, most likely, is the real reason why our marriage has been successful. I am not an ugly guy...but..I ain't no great catch either.
For the sake of transparency.....I must confess...... I come from a very wealthy family (probably why my wife married me). My father has never given me any money.....but....it was a HUGE psychological advantage when I started my own business (Mom would have made Dad bail me out if it had ever gotten too rough). Don't underestimate this "advantage" when it comes to taking risks. I recognize this when I am asked to give advice to budding entrepreneurs. Just food-for-thought.
My advice is old advice. Time WILL heal all wounds; However, it never feels like it at the TIME. You also have a big advantage over most people. You have a family that loves you, and supports you (i don't mean financially). You have received an education (both formally and informally). It now comes down to....have you learned any lessons. If you have, then you are on the way up...not down.
Get your finances in order first. That will reduce some of the bitterness of the divorce (not all). Realize, that as humans, we all "F" up from time to time. My bankruptcy is not my only "F"-Up. I have too many to list here. You are not alone.
Do you have a "passion" for something? What do you "LOVE" doing?
Bad 1%.
He wants to play both sides of the fence. But at the end of the day, he's one of the reasons the system is corrupt.
That's probably why he is rich. He knows how to play both sides. He gets it coming and going. He reminds me of Clint Eastwood's character in "For A Few Dollars More" (LOL).
Guess
Soros can not do our job, whether he wants to or not.
He will take that as an insult.
You are afraid that a rich guy is not stupid enough to be fascist? Soros understands that our whole system is in big trouble and that he is part of our system. Maybe he supports the OWS movement or not, maybe he waits to see our demands, but he certainly is not against the right to assembly and free speech, like many Republicans are right now.
Don't let a bunch of dumb-ass Republicans influence your opinion on "Conservatives". True "Conservatives" are embarrassing the OWS movement. We (Conservatives) have always stood for free speech and assembly. Maybe you can now understand the Conservative's frustration in being "co-opted" by the Shawn Hannitys of the world. They have the loudest voice, but not the most support.
Well, in that case, please support my one demand: http://occupywallst.org/forum/main-demand/ and forget Shawn Hannity.
He's an opportunist. I wouldn't trust his intentions. Likely it would be used for his gain if got influence in the movement.
He is diabolical. He probably views this movement as a way to destabilize the US dollar. He will make money off this movement one way or another. That is what he does best. Is he evil.... or just greedy...or...is he just doing what he does best?
What e delightful question to ferret out ignorance.
The 1% is a measure of wealth, not a measure of evil and he is part of the 1%
Like most people, he does some good things that I agree with and some bad things that I don't agree with.
Don't know enough about him. Does he use his wealth to buy politicians?
I don't know if he directly gives cash to them. If he does, he most likely he stays within the current laws (which....by the way..... are the problem). But he does use his money to influence the process through other means.
My definition of 1% are those that use their wealth to buy representation. So sounds like that puts him in the 1%. Even if he or others think the intent is good. They all can rationalize their good intentions. Money in the political system is the problem. No matter how well intended.
Good answer.
Even if Soro's intentions are good.....it is not his right to use his money to influence the political system.
I think he is part of the few good people among 1% and most of these guys are democrats :)
Well said....by a Democrat. If you are going to disparage the richest 1% in this country, you have to be consistent. Obviously, his money has influenced your thoughts. Isn't that the failure of our system....the rich have influence?
Have you ever heard that rich man can do some good things also ? This is one of those case :) We tolerate the rich because of this reason only, if every rich man did evil things to our society, we would have never allowed anybody to become rich !
So...what you are saying is......if a rich man is a Democrat that uses his money to influence politicians....that's a good guy. If he is a Republican that uses his money to influence politicians....that's a bad guy. Has the Democrats succeeded in co-opting the OWS movement? It sure is looking that way. So.....this movement is really just another DNC pep-rally? That is very sad. I expected more from this group.
Again more non sense !
If a rich man lobbies openly (not hiding), in the interest of others (not his own), doesn't matter if he is Democrat or Republican, I have no objection to it. It is for the common people to decide, which rich man is doing what and in whose interest.
Key thing is, all my above conditions has to be satisfied.
"we would have never allowed anybody to become rich" Careful with that kind of thinking. A lot of people out there in the world consider you rich (e.g. the homeless). Do you want them not allowing you to do what you want?
"A lot of people out there in the world consider you rich (e.g. the homeless). Do you want them not allowing you to do what you want?"
Non sense ! We want the poor to have what we have,
A safe place to live, clean air to breathe, clean water to drink and access to nutritious food. The rest is up to them what they want to do with their lives. We liberals are are selfish idiots like you !
He's in the good.
He is not giving a dime of his money to his kids in his will, which I find kind of sad, BUT he is giving away every dime he ever earned to education and the betterment of society.
I guess the 1% isn't so bad after all. Food for thought.
Goodness. He has admitted to helping advance the decline of the economies in four countries, leading to the euro. That's just been working out grand I see. He also admitted that he is participating in, and Americans should just accept the slow decline of the dollar. He wants to leave his money to brainwashing and more corporate paid for tyranny(that's how I read your last line). You be the Judge.
Hmm...funny how when the Euro was doing wonders, nobody complained. you can't take the good without the bad.
Oh anointed one, with your great economic insight please elaborate on how a person "participates" in the decline of the dollar?
Soros gave 1 million dollars to the group advocating Prop 19 (the legalization of Marijuana) in California. That's where he won me over. Find me a scumbag that supports marijuana legalization...and I'm not saying that as a Hyperbole, I'm saying that because, off the top of my head, I can't think of a scumbag that supports marijuana legalization. I'm sure if you look hard enough, you'll find one, but other than that...
And by the way I have no problem at all with his investing practices because he invests responsibly and makes his money fairly. Unlike banks who make shady credit default swaps. And unlike CEO's who pay themselves because they are lucky. CEO's run companies no better than their subordinate probably could, the difference is they got lucky. they didn't work any harder than their subordinate.
George Soros on the other hand has worked very hard to earn his money. He has played by the rules, HASN'T LOBBIED to change them in his favor, and made money. He is an honest investor. Recognizing market trends and smart investing is a SKILL.
and when I said betterment of society I meant other things related to education
LMAO
Is this a joke? George Soros, hedge fund billionaire, crashes currencies for fun and profit and brags about it. He's as 1% as it gets, though he's a skilled puppet master who has spent big $$$ to manipulate the unaware.
Just read this he profits of the losses of the poor. Then gives money to orginizations to promote his agenda. Which is to make profit of the losses of the poor. He is part of the banskters and corruption, which I thought this movement was about. If it turns into a left vs. right thing about social issues it will surely get co-opted.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Soros
It is the system that's the problem, not people. What we need is a comprehensive strategy, and related candidate, that implements all our demands at the same time, and although I'm all in favor of taking down today's ineffective and inefficient Top 10% Management System of Business & Government, there's only one way to do it – by fighting bankers as bankers ourselves. Consequently, I have posted a 1-page Summary of the Strategic Legal Policies, Organizational Operating Structures, and Tactical Investment Procedures necessary to do this at:
http://getsatisfaction.com/americanselect/topics/on_strategic_legal_policy_organizational_operational_structures_tactical_investment_procedures
Join
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/StrategicInternationalSystems/
if you want to be 1 of 100,000 people needed to support a Presidential Candidate – such as myself – at AmericansElect.org in support of the above bank-focused platform.
I am amased at how Occupy works. Would like to have your input on the movement to understaqnd it better, there is a question on financial accountability in it. I am asking you to answer 10 questions and I am happy to share results if you are interested. Please, take some time for it: Thank you! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Q3NF7QB
your copy and paste skills are almost as good as mine
:-) Hard work to get the meanign, to the point, but getting the answers, and seeing the discussion is great. Have you answered yet?
If your website were called surveygiraffe.com i might consider it
Wish it was my website, I am only using their free app.
I will give you credit for being attentive, patient and persistent
:-)