Big Money

            World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg finally rewarded the Washington Nationals for their faith in picking him first in the 2009 draft and sticking with him through one injury after another for ten years. They even gave him a contract that would have paid him $25 million a year for the next four years. Not good enough for Mr. Strasburg: he is opting out of his contract in favor of free agency that will bring him even greater riches. So much for loyalty.

            Strasburg’s greed is not unusual in big-time sports where the mantra seems to be “Get it while you can.” Even college athletes are on the verge of cashing in, as their amateur status is sacrificed to Mammon.

            Sports do not provide the only arenas for amassing great wealth. There are 2,754 billionaires in the world at last count. Silicon Valley seems to be sprouting them faster than asparagus. And so does Wall Street.

            What do billionaires do with all their money? Bill Gates chooses to fund many charitable causes through his foundation. But hedge-fund founder Ken Griffin opted to spend $238 million of his money on a Manhattan penthouse. Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg plunked down $130 million for his family sanctuary on 700 acres of beachfront property in Kawaii. But he is not alone in his lust for property: there have been 20 residential properties in the United States that have each sold for over $100 million. Just how big of a house do billionaires need?

            Elizabeth Warren must have asked herself this question when she proposed to tax the excess wealth of billionaires to fund her multiple plans for free stuff. Of course, even if she managed to confiscate all American billionaires’ money, it wouldn’t pay for half of the $20.5 trillion needed to cover just the cost of her public health plan, aka Medicare for All.

            The senator from Massachusetts wants to be President of the United States. As a practiced liar she knows she can’t win by telling the truth, so she is relying on the gullibility and ignorance of mostly young voters who swallow her promises of free stuff. After all, she has a plan to get all those billionaires to finally pay their fair share.

            Mr. Strasburg, don’t count your money just yet.