How Much Is Enough?

How much money does one person need?

Really, how much wealth is enough? 

When you have enough money to buy absolutely everything you want, be it houses or airplanes or yachts or private islands, or even a presidential election, how much money do you need? 

Based on America's richest people, I guess that number has no limit. A million dollars? $10 million? $100 million? A billion dollars? 100 billion dollars? There seems to be no upper limit to what these people want.

Just look at how excited they are about getting their 2017 income tax cuts permanently extended. Other people, including the lower and middle classes, pay their fair share of taxes. And they will pay even more under the recently enacted tax legislation. Meanwhile, the uberwealthy pay nothing or next to nothing in taxes.

Some billionaires, including Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, leave most of the money to charities. Others, such as the current resident of the White House, are so greedy they even steal money from a children's cancer charity.

Singer/songwriter Taylor Swift is a multibillionaire, but she does a lot of good with her wealth. She makes a substantial donation to the food bank of every city where she performs. She gives large bonuses to her stage crew. She has contributed to disaster relief, education, cancer research, women's rights and LBGTQ rights.

Dolly Parton is another person who does a lot of good with her millions. Her charitable works focus on childhood literacy (the Imagination Library, for example), disaster relief, college scholarships, medical research and other causes. 

There are millionaires and billionaires who do good things with their immense wealth. Sadly, many do nothing but hoard money and do everything possible to get more, regardless of who gets hurt in the process.

I am not wealthy, but I believe that those who can afford to help are morally obligated to help.