What would you do with $200 billion?

[Troubadour]

If your wish was to provide best for mankind's future, what projects would you spend it on? Renewable energy? Medicine? Education? Transportation? Bioscience? Let me know, because it's possible - POSSIBLE, mind you, that I may find myself in a situation of great wealth very quickly and I'm considering how I would distribute it. Now, there is no guarantee that it will pan out, but I would appreciate cmoment.

[Osborn F. Enready]

If I were to aquire that kind of wealth, I would hire 5 research consultants I could trust and assign each to one of 5 regions in the U.S. to study employment, jobs and rail/water access routes to determine where I would start building 5 new solar/wind energy production facillities, coupled with training facillities for the technology. I would then concentrate on investing in, exploring and producing solar films and panels as well as complete home management systems in the drive to make energy and individual issue, one that is affordable and able to meet the needs of modern americans average lifestyles.

This would work to disempower the stranglehold oil, natural gas and coal producers have on this country, as well as significantly reduce our dependency on foreign or home drilled oil.

I would then push hemp legalization while aquiring tracts of acreage in which to grow it, pushing for hemp oil to replace crude oil in as many areas as possible. Hemp has 160,000 industrial uses, is one of the most soil beneficial plants to farming, and its seed oil can be extracted to make several types of plastic we use in our daily lives. This also would help to work against our dependence on foreign oil.

I would then put some funding into the the legalization of drugs, and reaffirming through constitutional amendment that prohibition of consumeable substances is NOT within the realm of scope of government power, to combat the growing police state mentality, reduce prison populations of non-violent criminals, and attempt to re-establish a trust between the populace, and its police forces.

Lastly, I would do all I could with that money to break the bi-partisan grip on politics, by stepping behind valid candidates who support and push forward constitutional voting reform, ensuring a constitutional right for all legal age citizens to vote, an instant runoff style voting system with verifiable, multi-party paper ballots... all the while pushing for national standards for ballot access, those standards being low enough to facillitate and make possible 5 or more parties access to any given ballot. I would also look for help to push forth a decleration from the congress, to the fcc demanding that all broadcast companies must allow equal time to all valid candidates for any local, state or national elections within their "political coverage" in all cases leading to an election. The people own the airwaves, and if the companies are going to profit from broadcasting, that is their right, but they also have an obligation to inform people of their political choices.

The rest, I would put in my bank account to live without financial worry until the day I kick the bucket.

[NortheastCynic]

I would have this country running on a green cocktail of nuclear, wind and solar power. If I had left over money, I'd use the rest to make sure our infrastructure/transportation system is top-notch.

-NC

[Deadshot]

Beyond a trip to Vegas, I like NEC's idea above.

Without question I think with $200 Billion I could come up with an electrical engine that would, hopefully throughout the world - eventually, have gas become a common, instead of rare, commodity.

I think a engine for cars, one that would keep car prices the same or maybe even drop them, would free us, and the world, from the problems of the Middle East. Does anybody, beyond Ireland and Great Britain, really care or have a stake in the IRA? Does anybody have a stake, beyond France or Spain, with the Basque terrorists like the Red Hand? Of course not, they're not sitting on anything we really must have to survive.

So NEC's idea is the best. Get rid of our dependence of oil. Even if you could drop it 40-50% you could re-write the worlds future.

[Pookie]

If your wish was to provide best for mankind's future, what projects would you spend it on? Renewable energy? Medicine? Education? Transportation? Bioscience? Let me know, because it's possible - POSSIBLE, mind you, that I may find myself in a situation of great wealth very quickly and I'm considering how I would distribute it. Now, there is no guarantee that it will pan out, but I would appreciate cmoment.

Okay, all of the above, Troubador. Especially cancer research. I read an article that said prostate cancer in men is going up, and I'm worried about my husband. Yeah, I'm selfish. Just think of what you could do with all that money, and look at your loved ones. What would you do for them?
Then take those ideas and put the money where you think it belongs.
Also, could you spare a little for the Humane Society and Habitat for Humanity? My hubby's ex-wife moved into a HfH house, and when her present hubby cut the ribbon, she cried. It was really emotional for all of us. With a little help, she and her hubby and their 3 children have a permanent roof over their heads. We are so happy for them.
Just my opinions here.
Make a difference. Go with your heart and make a difference that will positively impact humanity forever.
Purrs,
Pookie

[Wndrtch]

If your wish was to provide best for mankind's future, what projects would you spend it on? Renewable energy? Medicine? Education? Transportation? Bioscience? Let me know, because it's possible - POSSIBLE, mind you, that I may find myself in a situation of great wealth very quickly and I'm considering how I would distribute it. Now, there is no guarantee that it will pan out, but I would appreciate cmoment.

Assuming this to be private money, I would go build a Moon-base.

[Buck Laser]

I would have this country running on a green cocktail of nuclear, wind and solar power. If I had left over money, I'd use the rest to make sure our infrastructure/transportation system is top-notch.
-NC

Nuclear power's not gonna be "green" until they figure out a safe way to dispose of spent fuel.

I think I'd want to let the Gates Foundation decide what to do with it. They have a pretty good track record so far. Of course, I'd like to save a bit for my old age. :innocent:

[PostmodernProphet]

before or after taxes?.......

[cronic]

Ok.. well this thread is in desprite need of atleast one poster to tell the truth.

here I am
I will do it.. No problem..

I'd spend it all on myself and my family..
Best for mankind.. but.. my own mankind..me..No one else
id buy old cars and trucks and homes.. id buy rental properties and id buy cheap businesses that are turn key already.
I would be an arrogant SOB.-(wait.. thats covered already )....nevermind

id make sure I had lots of money left for the future generations of cronics .. thus.. Id stick it all in a sock drawer because I have trust issues

oh.. one more thing..
maybe run for office?
Id love to be your president someday.
I will promise change and hope for everyone..
Id promise to lower gas prices... lower everything.. hell with it
id legalize marijuana to.

My tag line would be simply
Vote Cronic 4 pres!!!!
He loves you... he really does!!!

[Rage]

I'd pay the some of the debt (lol @ giving money to government) back the government owes to (communist) countries, invest 100k in a 401k (4 accounts of 25g's) buy my girl and me a car, and invest the rest in the libertarian party for the 2016 elections, and hydro fuel research.

[tecoyah]

I would buy three plots of desert....each 100 by 100 miles.

I would then install solar electric fields in each plot.

I would make the energy (roughly enough to power 2/3 of the United States) free for three years to anyone willing to spend the savings on a home system capable of supplying 1/3 of the energy they use.

I would spend the remaining 50 billion an island for my own personal use....and make it completely independent and self sustaining.

It would be called.....Earthenirvana

[cronic]

I would buy three plots of desert....each 100 by 100 miles.

I would then install solar electric fields in each plot.

I would make the energy (roughly enough to power 2/3 of the United States) free for three years to anyone willing to spend the savings on a home system capable of supplying 1/3 of the energy they use.

I would spend the remaining 50 billion an island for my own personal use....and make it completely independent and self sustaining.

It would me called.....Earthenirvana

Now thats not a bad idea either..:thumbsup:

[preservanation]

If I had $200 Bill...I'd wish I had $400 Bill!

[tecoyah]

Now thats not a bad idea either..:thumbsup:

Yeah...after three years I would have to wait at least ten to make my money back...heh

[jafar00]

I would dump it all into shorting rice futures and hopefully cause the market to crash so that poor people in the 3rd World can afford to eat again.

[davo]

$200 billion is nowhere near enough to fix the USA, let alone the planet, although I certainly wouldn't mind having $200 billion.

I would certainly look at doing something about the energy situation and how to reduce or eliminate dependence on oil and gas for transportation. Perhaps financing construction of nuclear reactors and R&D into solar technology, along with electric vehicle R&D and better batteries.

I'd also try and get the Federal Reserve abolished, although $200 billion is nowhere near enough to achieve this. You'd need several trillion to push hard enough. After all, you're competing against people who create money out of nothing.

I'd also look at funding proper arts and sciences in our universities and education systems today, and promoting critical thinking and a positive view of western civilization rather than a politically correct and negative one.

[Truth_and_Power]

Invade madagascar for the safety of the world.

No.. seriously tho.

I institute a bigger program like NASA's centennial challenges where prizes are awarded for advancements in technology. Instead of 200k or 10 million prizes, we would have much larger prizes for much more difficult goals.

1. Carbon Fibers/composites
2. ISRU - essentially mining/construction on the moon/mars
3. More efficient solar power - Right now it's stuck at like 15%, if we can get 30% or 40% the problem is solved.
4. Genuine AI
5. Efficient Fusion Power

We have to think to the future, and I think that prizes really excite the inventive capitalist spirit that has done so much for us in the past. I would have a national contest to think up the best ideas for what the prizes could be for.