However, there are certain goods and services which are required for continued health, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Without them, life will be very painful and short. When it comes to water, it could be as short as 3 days.
All of these things can be provided as not for profit, government provided at no cost to the end user.
Americans would be immensely more free if they did not have to worry about food, water, shelter, healthcare, education, and childcare.
No one trapped in a job because they can’t afford to lose their healthcare.
No one dying of starvation after choosing to feed their kids instead of themselves.
Everyone able to learn as much as they want and able to be a public good for their community and their nation.
For the wealthiest nation on the planet, we have some of the highest starvation rates among NATO nations. Current estimates are that it would take between $23 and $37 billion, per year, to solve world hunger by 2030. The richest 1% of wealthy receive $26 trillion per year, while the other 99% receive $16 trillion. And that $16 trillion includes the people who are, at this moment, starving.
175,000 ultra wealthy people in the world have at least $50 million in net wealth. That cash after covering the cost of what debt they have. This is the 0.1%. They have an average net worth of $1.52 billion. Collectively they have $266 billion.
We have a target of $40 billion per year. If each of the 175,000 individuals in the top 0.1% were to contribute $230 thousand, We world exceed or goal, solve world hunger, and even the poorest of the 0.1% wouldn’t feel it. It the equivalent of a down payment on a house for them. Now, keep in mind the amount they pay would depend on their income because the individual at the 99.9% level has several billion less in income than the individual at 100%. But they wouldn’t need our help, as they do operating their businesses.
No one is self made. Every business owner depends on people to do the work.
There is no other civilized or sane way to look at this. The wealthy must step up. They have the means to solve world hunger without noticing it themselves. This is a moral imperative.
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