Listing the world's billionaires 2007 »
Posted by: TechnologyExpert 1 year, 6 months ago116 Comments Report this Story
It has been a busy year for Forbes' team of fortune hunters. Strong equity markets combined with rising real estate values and commodity prices pushed up fortunes from Mumbai to Madrid. Forbes pinned down a record 946 billionaires. There were 178 newcomers, including 19 Russians, 14 Indians, 13 Chinese and 10 Spaniards, as well as the first billion
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Comments So Far: 116
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Chunjinhao1 year, 6 months ago
JUST WAIT WHEN "Daylight" see that his name is missing from the list...
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mbkijb1 year, 6 months ago
Yeah, at the same time, I wonder how many disgusting tax breaks this beautiful land of opportunity is giving them and therefore crunching out the middle class.
I agree, there is no better place on earth, but we need to have a little bit more foresight, and those billionaires should be liable to pay their share.
Imagine what we could do for all the people of the United States if there was such a thing as a flat tax?
Peace as well.
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MoreOn1 year, 6 months ago
exactly how much are these billionaires paying now in taxes and how are they not paying enough? and how much are their disgusting individual tax breaks?
does their payment to society include all the upper middle and lower class jobs their efforts have created? and then the taxes thoes jobs have created... and other jobs created because of their employees hiring people for goods and services?
seems to me that trickel down works from billionaires' contributions of ideas efforts and financial investments creating jobs and their established fair share of required taxes by law.
but what liability remains to establish their fair share?
2/3 of these people started with essentially nothing
I agree with flat tax!!!
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jumpmaster1 year, 6 months ago
What is fair share? That is a very good question.
Anyone who has less than you do has determined that you should pay more. You know, just because.
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mbkijb1 year, 6 months ago
You know.... I see your point, BUT, I just read an article that was on here that said that the government just gave the Walton family (Walmart)something to the tune of 32 million in tax breaks and cut medicaid or medicare like 27 million.....
I am not sure of the numbers; I didn't actually read the article, but I read the title, and it just doesn't seem fair. It is indeed the land of opportunity, but not everyone has the same chance to make it due to things beyond their control, luck, etc....
I do agree with the flat tax.
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mbkijb1 year, 6 months ago
While tax breaks are necessary and I understand that big business usually benefits people in the lower classes, I agree with you all about flat tax, however, I also think that that may chase all of the companies out of the country to third world nations, as we are seeing happen right now anyways. Greed is the deciding factor in the long run. What American companies such as Walmart need to do is pride themselves on more American made goods at a lower price. Keep the profits inside our great country, and allow the entrepreneur to supply the big guys at a decent profit so we don't have to watch so many companies move to India, Mexico, etc.... Look what happened to Levi's and look at the crap quality they put out nowadays.... anyone notice that one? their jeans suck, and 20 years ago they were one of the best. Yeah, but someone had this silly "global economy" idea one time and that all changed, and so did the middle class because of it.
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Chunjinhao1 year, 6 months ago
American Soldiers Blood PAID FOR FREEDOM and still paying!!!
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sykajonnes1 year, 6 months ago
Gates, Buffett, Allen, Trump, blah, blah, blah. Just more cr#p to make you feel you're poor, a loser, and not just up to snuff. This kind of reporting--richest men, most expensive houses, most expensive city in which to live, etc.--makes me sick. It's all propaganda from the Pravda of contemporary capitalism, a system which is driving half the world--include many, many Americans-- into poverty.
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GODIMMAD1 year, 6 months ago
I am not rich by any means known. I live in SW Mo that basically makes me living better than Arkansas only. If this story makes you feel as stated, I am sorry. We are poor. We live within our means but we live and still can work and think hard to make our lives better. Its our choose. The list is getting smaller on the side of ppl being rich because there father and grandfather was. It growning from the people no afraid to break the molds and use their minds. Try it, it feels good to create something not out there. We all have our fields of study whether in school or work. Figure out the next guy cant and patent it. Do that a few more times and Sykajonnes could be the next name on the list just unnder GodIMMAD on the next list
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Chunjinhao1 year, 6 months ago
"sykajonnes"... and if you, by a magic hand could remove all these names from "the list", would we become richer?
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Bobcat61 year, 6 months ago
sykajonnes-U must be sick w/jealousy. I suppose U wouldn't trade place w/any of these people then huh? NOT!
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pacificmist1 year, 6 months ago
Well I may not be as rich in money as they are but trust me I am a billion times richer in way they can not measure. I have good friends, 3 great kids, as you can see I live on the ocean I have a blessed life and that is how I measure rich. As long as I am at the top of my kids list of the worlds best mom that is the only list that counts.
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2Labs1 year, 6 months ago
pacificmist:
Nice to hear your life is rich in happiness, but why is it that you assume that those who are financially wealthy are not equally rich in happiness as you are? Are wealth and happiness incompatible?
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WCFIELDS1 year, 6 months ago
Pacific. Sounds good. Just a note. Should you happen to be single and decide to sell your home you will get a $250,000. tax deduction on a maybe 1.25 million dollar sale. Your tax of about 20% will be $200,000. (Less depending on what you paid for the place)
Congratulations on wisely buying in a desirable area. A similar home in one of the flat states being sold by a married couple for $500,000. will have a zero tax bill.
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sykajonnes1 year, 6 months ago
Just for the record, some days I don't feel I'm doing so great, and some days, I feel I'm doing just fine. But also feel media lay this "richest man in the USA, richest man in the world, highest paid movie star, highest paid athlete etc." stuff on a bit thick. There are definitely people I'm interested in and are worth hearing about--Gates, Buffett, et al are not among them.
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Chunjinhao1 year, 6 months ago
America is a country of opportunity. Everybody can reach on the top and have theirs name on "the list", if that is your PRIORITY... but, it needs plenty of work and scarification and not blaming everyone for OWN laziness!
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Truzseeker1 year, 6 months ago
Ahh...the effects of predatory capitalism. Much more for them, the less for you, and sooner or later no more job because it went offshore. The automotive industry is next, and will be primarily located in China.
http://www.247wallst.com/2007/03/us_car_manurfac.h
Hope to still have a job when that happens, but hey I can always help build arms because that is what this country will be known for as its only export.
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MoreOn1 year, 6 months ago
138,000 globalized auto jobs created in the US by Toyota. Mercedes, VW, add to that number.
you guys only look at the bad stuff. misery loves company.
wipe away your tears and see the opportunity staring you in the face. I have not seen too many boat people leaving our shores of the north american continent looking for work and political amnesty
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Chunjinhao1 year, 6 months ago
"Truzseeker" I read your link and before I go to sleep (0:51 A.M. in China) I will quote this from the link you posted:
"One solution to the high cost of union labor, its pension and health-care requirements, is to build cars outside the US. The UAW will fight to the death to keep the jobs they have at Chrysler (DCX), Ford (F), and (GM) "in country"..."
Maybe we should look to readjust HIGH COST... I read that a Union Worker, without education, whom is sweeping a floor COST CAR COMPANIES $ 60 - $ 65 an hour... Is that make any sense? You tell me and have good night.
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jumpmaster1 year, 6 months ago
I used to work for a Fortune 1 company that had one of its factories in Georgia. They had a whacked out contract with the union that totally blew out their cost position in the industry. The union would not budge on any issues. There were non-degreed, unskilled workers making $100k per year doing stuff like moving parts from one location to another, sweeping floors, picking up cigarrette butts, etc.
The union would not reevaluate the contract. In fact, they would have work slow downs, strikes, and were basically putting a gun to the head of the management. The CEO told them to fix the problem or he would close the plant. The union "leaders" stood their ground and called the CEO out on that. Well guess what? The company closed the plant. That product is now manufactured in Mexico and China.
The union sure showed them who was boss. The factory was in a small town and I bet all those workers are now working at the local 7-11, if they are working at all.
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Amazing11 year, 6 months ago
Do you ever think they will publish a list of those at the other end of the spectrum. The world's poorest? The cheapest place to live? The worst living conditions?
I don't mind that others have so much. But it really bothers me that others have so very little. Is there no way a balance can be struck? Beyond a billion, how much more can one person reasonably use?
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2Labs1 year, 6 months ago
Much of this wealth is tied to their controll of businesses and financial assets other than cash. Its not as if this wealth is sitting in bank accounts doing nothing. Much of this wealth is tied up in job producing assets.
Most of these people I'm certain contribute more to charity each year than most of us on this board earn in a lifetime.
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ghengisghan1 year, 6 months ago
I dont see Hillary, Obama, Kerry or any of them giving back what they "dont need"
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ghengisghan1 year, 6 months ago
I'm sorta shocked! I half expected the lib's to be screaming about how not fair it is.
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gumballrally4271 year, 6 months ago
Read "ProudBlue's" post below. The left ALWAYS attributes things to Bush. It's amazing and fun to watch, actually.
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netchicke41 year, 5 months ago
it was a joke..... wow you really need a sense of humor!!!!!! :)
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ProudBlueTexan1 year, 6 months ago
How many new billionaires thanks to bush's redistribution of the US Treasury.......I mean, war?
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espse1 year, 6 months ago
Amazing. Its ok to bash a union worker (less than 10% of the workers in america are union) who makes too much money in your opinion, but you get down on your knee and blow Donald Trump, who was handed all his cash from his father. Do you think teachers, who teach your children, get paid too much? You rightys always weigh in against unions, and kiss the arse of the superrich. You owe your living wage, if you actually have a job, jumpidiot, to workers who fought to get a living wage and decent hours to take care of their familys. Hypocrites.
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ghengisghan1 year, 6 months ago
NO, I owe my income to working hard and taking care of my customers.I owe getting screwed out of a large chunk of it by the IRS because of liberals who feel theyre entitled to steal my money....Before you say it, I dont mind paying for our national defense (something the govt is Constitutionaly mandated to do).
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NelsonR1 year, 6 months ago
Oh my, I just hope and pray these Billionaires are capable of taking it with them. They so deserve this blessing. God will envelope them within his arms and coo within their ears since he could also use those billions to espouse the Republican agenda. Newt is gods chosen. It makes no difference that my child has sinned he is truely a Republican hero in Gods eye. He is the blessed. He who sins and brings me billions I will forgive. My Republicans are the righteous and deserving of paradise, Oh wait, Mr. Haggard is here for paradise.
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NelsonR1 year, 6 months ago
gumballrally - Don't need a job, how about you? Truth always hurts. So if I ruffled your feathers, live with it.
I take you for one of those Republican conservatives who desires to control the world and espouses sanctimonious rhetoric, like Newt, but when it comes down to reality, you are the righteous sicko. Now have I got that right?
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ghengisghan1 year, 6 months ago
undo your belt a notch, kick off your birkenstocks...you NEED to relax brother...DAmn
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oldgringo1 year, 6 months ago
espse....I love reading your rants against religion, the wealthy, Republicans, etc. because, well, you make me feel so damn intelligent! Just when I think I'm having a horrible day you post things so dumb I just have to say, "but for the Grace of God there walk I"! Thanks for making my weekend.
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jumpmaster1 year, 6 months ago
If any of you righteous anti-wealth people work for companies owned by billionaires, then stand up for what is right and QUIT your job immediately.
Show your committment. Show your resolve. Show the world that you are not going to put up with the BS of the rich. Show them that you stand up for what is right.
Or, sit on the couch and complain.
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jumpmaster1 year, 6 months ago
Money bad.
For them to keep all that money is, well, it is ....unfair.
And we all know how important it is to the lefties to be fair. Just as long as they get to determine what fair is.
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jumpmaster1 year, 6 months ago
Gotta go back to work so I can earn money to give to the government so they can pay for espse's psychiatric treatments.
Ghengis, Gumball, have a great weekend.
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NelsonR1 year, 6 months ago
I am yet rolling with laughter. This episode with Newt is not only new hut infinite. You Republicans, wait I'm still laughing, so excuse me, are so hillarious I would not know what to do without your antics. God I need you for rebuttal since your rhetoric and acts do not equate. I feel like I'm talking to an alien who does not understand the word HYPOCRITE?????????????
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NelsonR1 year, 6 months ago
ghengisqhan - Thank you for the suggestion but I have allready sent my personal physician to your residence. A word of warning, do not fight with those medics, they are assisting your needs. Now here is a clue, yell Newt Gingrich THREE times and they will release you. Now if that does not work, Yell, Haggard Three times. Now if that doesn't work, you are going to the hospital.
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NelsonR1 year, 6 months ago
gumballrally - With that astute comment you must feel better. I sincerely hope so. But be truthful please, the independents, centrist and yes, liberals do not espouse being the moral authority within the world, I was about to say America, but Republicans do.
Now get your act together, either you are the preveyer of righteousness or you are not. I'm befuddled as to your point of reference. I would suggest you go and ask Newt what should be the determining factor, I'm at a loss.
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NelsonR1 year, 6 months ago
gumballrally - Oh I was there for 18 months and I failed to see my fellow Republicans surrounding and protecting me.
I think Georgie was somewhere in America, they could not find him. Now Dickie, he had not one, not two but five college defferments, so he avoided going. Isn't it ludicrous that Dicky is the most arch, Ultra, Conservative Republican Hawk within the U.S. and has no compunction about sending others to their deaths. Now that is so Hypocritical I am at a loss to continue this sentence.
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