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How Mark Zuckerberg's Altruism Helps Himself (nytimes.com)

HughPickens.com writes: Jesse Eisinger writes in the NYT that if you heard that Mark Zuckerberg donated $45 billion to charity, you are wrong. Here's what really happened: Zuckerberg did not set up a charitable foundation, which has nonprofit status. Instead Zuckerberg created an investment vehicle called a limited liability company (LLC) that can invest in for-profit companies, make political donations, and lobby for changes in the law. What's more an LLC can donate appreciated shares to charity, which will generate a deduction at fair market value of the stock without triggering any tax. "He remains completely free to do as he wishes with his money," writes Eisinger. "That's what America is all about. But as a society, we don't generally call these types of activities 'charity.'"

A charitable foundation is subject to rules and oversight. It has to allocate a certain percentage of its assets every year. The new Zuckerberg LLC won't be subject to those rules and won't have any transparency requirements. According to Eisinger what this means is that Zuckerberg has amassed one of the greatest fortunes in the world — and is likely never to pay any taxes on it. "Instead of lavishing praise on Mr. Zuckerberg for having issued a news release with a promise, this should be an occasion to mull what kind of society we want to live in," concludes Eisinger. "The point is that we are turning into a society of oligarchs. And I am not as excited as some to welcome the new Silicon Valley overlords."

3 of 240 comments (clear)

  1. Is this haiku about Zuckerberg? by TheHaikuLover · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    His erect penis,
    Plugged inside a man's anus.
    He is a faggot.

  2. Re:The real problem by DigiShaman · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Why, oh why are we attempting to dance around this. What we should be talking about is scrapping the entire fucking tax code and going with a flat / fair tax system (not VAT, there's a difference). If I had my druthers, it would be a simple equation or formula in which the lambda can be changed to heat or slow the economy as needed. But that's it! One page tax code? try one line on the page!!

    --
    Life is not for the lazy.
  3. Re:The real problem by DigiShaman · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Because figuring out what should or shouldn't be taxed is a complex problem.

    THAT IS THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GTFO of SOCIAL ENGINEERING YOU DUMB STUPID BITCH FUCK!!!!

    --
    Life is not for the lazy.