Personal Wealth

Don't get me wrong:  I am as much for personal wealth as the next person.  I do not have an opinion that rich is bad, poor is good. Au contraire. I very much like the idea of enjoying as much personal wealth as possible; and, wish it for my children and loved ones...and anyone/everyone.  I just think you don't step on anyone else's head..or any other body part..ie. hold anyone else down...to attain your own goals.  It's just a philosophical difference with some.  I believe helping others helps oneself and the greater whole, as it were.  I think there is joy in everybody being able to find some level of comfort in his/her standard of living. [ And, may I comment:  everybody does not want great wealth.  People find their own level of security and what feels comfortable for themselves.  This is not to say, as many conservatives like to suggest, that the homeless, for example, deserve to be/want to be homeless.  Although, to be true, there are, may always be, a very minuscule percentage...who really may choose that lifestyle. ]

Meg Whitman spent more of her personal wealth on her campaign for Governor of CA than anyone in history:  $140 million ... plus, an additional $20 M in donations.  Given her defeat, my understanding is she is now considering running for the Senate. Her premise for running, like many/most politicians, I suppose, is that she believes she has skills/answers which can see that all Californians enjoy a better standard of living/quality of life.

I am nagged with the question:  If Meg (or Carly Fiorina) were genuinely, sincerely, soulfully concerned for the welfare of others, how else might she have spent that money?  What kind of difference could she have made in people's lives?  Had the contribution been toward education, for example...what  difference might that "trickle-down" benefit make through generations of families?

I just wonder...

Even now, were Meg to say, "I will now contribute $140 M toward [whatever social cause]...." and were then to run for another public office down the road, I would take her more seriously...view her differently.  It's not a difficult concept.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-11-12/whitman-fiorina-mcmahon-what-campaign-cash-could-have-done?om_rid=NHX0XQ&om_mid=_BM3-cfB8VspZ$b