Pop Quiz:
Warren Buffet wants to "spend" 100 million dollars in the way that provides the greatest benefit to Society. These are his options:
(1) Send the IRS an extra $100,000,000.00 with his next tax return (this is permissible under U.S. law); or
(2) Send a check for $100,000,000.00 to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where it will be distributed to various charitable initiatives; or
(3) Go out and purchase American-made goods and services (boats, cars, furniture, artworks, golf lessons, etc) having a total cost of $100,000,000.00.
Which of the three options will provide the greatest benefit to Society. And why?
I would add:
4) Go out and buy an underperforming company, hire expensive managerial talent to turn it around.
And I would answer 4.
$100M is what the gov't spends about every 30 seconds. It wont even be noticed. The charities may or may not do work that benefits some selected individuals. Measuring the effect will be difficult for years.
Buying American made crap he doesnt need (Bufffet is very frugal) provides a short boost in demand one time. This is essentially the Obama Administration's strategy for the economy. It is a fail.
Buying an underperforming company and turning it around provides the best effect. The company will become profitable, so it provides continuing employment, possibly at higher rates of pay and benefits, to employees. It will satisfy customer's needs, making the economy more efficient. It will pay taxes, providing a revenue stream to the gov't that would exceed over the long term by many times any $100M he could give them.