Forbes 400: A Banner Year For The Richest In America

[gateley]

Forbes staff
Despite the weak economy, the net worth of the nation's wealthiest is up 12% over a year ago, and an all-time high 70% of this year's 400 are self-made.

The Ultimate Scorecard Of Wealth
The rich get richer--again. Soros cracked the top 10. Zuckerberg's in the top 20. Click here for the entire list in our 30th annual ranking of the Forbes 400:

(It's a slide show)

http://www.forbes.com/forbes-400/?partner=daily_newsletter

[dkf]

1. Hmm 70% are self made. Interesting.

[gateley]

3. I started going through and I was surprised at the number

of younger people. That gives me hope that maybe THEY might replace the likes of the Koch Brothers. Although even locally I've seen good guys go bad -- Howard Schultz and Jeff Bezos come to mind. Gates and Paul

[icymist]

10. What the hell makes you think that the 'younger' of today...

are no different than the 'younger' of the sixties? You know, the generation that was supposed to change everything? They brought us Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Yeah, I liked Clinton, but he also liked NAFTA. And well, we all know about W. Yeah, keep on rooting for the 'new generation' while I'll root for the educated.

[gateley]

11. Which is why I cited Howard Schultz, in effect saying the young get

older and can change. Or didn't you understand that from my post?

[lumberjack_jeff]

4. Yup. They built their own colleges and then attended them. Isn't that inspirational? n/t

[Historic NY]

2. Poverty & hunger rates are up all across the US.

[gateley]

5. Article here in The Seattle Times this morning, and yesterday

Jim McDemott was on TV saying that his district is suffering, too. As a whole, comparatively, this area hasn't been nailed as badly as so many others (although many HAVE been affected), and McDermott's district has historically been pretty comfortable.

[fascisthunter]

6. self-made, my arse

nobody makes it alone... enough with the egomaniacal garbage. Come down off that balcony.

[dkf]

7. Meaning they didn't inherit it.

They weren't trust fund babies.

[gateley]

8. As opposed to inheriting it. nt

[Blue_Tires]

9. so in a horrible economy the elites increased their margin by 12 percent?

but no one is allowed to use the term 'class warfare'...

Is there any reason to doubt they won't make even bigger gains in the next 12 months? What happens to the rest of us?