So, Jeff Bezos is once again the wealthiest man in the world, surpassing Elon Musk. Wow!! Now, I’m not hating on the super-rich, but there must be some way to say, “That’s too much.” Way too much!! No disrespect to them or their accomplishments. I applaud success and think we should all immolate it. Still, I believe the super-wealthy can and should alleviate poverty, pain, and suffering by giving up a more significant portion of their wealth than they currently do. 

 

I believe that some of the accumulated wealth should, among other things, support reparations for Black and Indigenous Americans. Whether through more aggressive taxation, philanthropy, or a combination, I contend that excessive wealth is obscene and should be used to fuel the growth of the poorest sectors and the middle and working classes. We know full well that trickle-down economics doesn’t work. What we need is to pour wealth and resources down. If we do that aggressively and intentionally, instead of trickling down, prosperity will “bubble up,” creating a rising tide lifting all boats, including the yachts owned by the wealthy. 

 

Hoarding resources that you don’t need and couldn’t consume for generations while keeping others from meeting basic needs is not following God’s commandment to love thy neighbor. Greed, excess, and avarice are enemies of the people and, believe it or not, impediments to community economic development.