It's not exactly the Forbes 400 who are fucking this country over. Many of the wealthiest families and individuals, like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs, etc. are "giving back" to society via charity work and foundations (even though it's not really helping, in some cases it's hurting, but the thought is nice). They feel they can afford to because they have created tangible wealth-meaning that their assets are secure.

No, the people who are really fucking this country over are the the bit players in the the economy, the bankers and the Investor Class: the wheelers and dealers who create stacks of cards that blow up in other people's faces-while they themselves walk away with a handsome profit and cushy severance packages. They generally aren't as wealthy as a lot of the Forbes 400 people, but they are still plenty wealthy through investments and banking.

You won't see justice unleashed on most of the people responsible for this mess, because they know where the bodies are buried, and they have donated to the political campaigns of both parties handsomely.

Malcolm's speech re House Negroes. Here's the link -

http://www.milestonedocuments.com/documents/full-text/malcolm-xs-message-to-the-grass-roots/

Remember that the "investor" class is only working for the owners though. When you sit in boardroom meetings the CEO suddenly is kissing the arses of the board members who actually make the decisions. And they are all acting in accordance with the rules of capitalism. "It's just business" is the tagline that destroys millions of lives.

but the thought isn't really nice, the 'charity' work serves only their own self-interest, trying to increase the market for the things they make bank off of.

Others here are better versed on that but I've read things that put those foundations and their 'good deeds' in a whole different perspective. It's no different than the World Bank loans to 'develop' a country to 'help raise the people's standard of living' or whatever the rhetoric, but which really only benefit the industries that are trying to reach every corner of the globe while the poor people get even poorer and lose their ability to make their own livelihood through traditional means.

It has nothing to do with being "nice".

I meant that as a sarcastic, offhand jab at those philanthropists.

I agree with what you say.