Posted on 09/23/2004 4:38:48 PM PDT by quantim
Net Worth Reaches $1 Trillion For First Time Since 2000
NEW YORK -- The nation's billionaire's club may not be quite as exclusive as it once was. There are now 313 billionaires in the country, the largest number ever and a huge jump over last year's 262 members, according to Forbes magazine, which Thursday released its annual ranking of the 400 richest Americans.
The combined net worth of the 400 rose $45 billion, reaching $1 trillion this year for the first time since 2000, before the dot-com bust.
Retaining the top spot was Microsoft founder Bill Gates, whose $48 billion in estimated wealth was up $2 billion from 2003. Gates was again followed by investor Warren Buffett with $41 billion, the list's biggest dollar gainer with a $5 billion increase, and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who held the No. 3 spot although his net worth fell $2 billion to $20 billion.
Members of the Walton family, whose fortune comes from Wal-Mart Stores Inc., again swept spots four through eight, with each having estimated wealth of $18 billion.
The only change in the top 10 came from Dell Computer's Michael Dell and Oracle's Lawrence Ellison, now No. 9 and No. 10 respectively after swapping places from 2003. Michael Dell had a net worth of $14.2 billion; Ellison, $13.7 billion.
There were 45 new names, including Google's Sergey Brin and Larry E. Page -- also the youngest members at 31. They tied for No. 43 with $4 billion each. Fifty-four people dropped off the list, including Disney's Michael Eisner.
The city with the most members is New York with 38; California is the top state with 98 members.
Donald Trump's net worth edged up to $2.6 billion, but he slipped to No. 74 from 71. Returning after a year's absence was Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry; her $750 million tied her for last place.
Forbes senior editor Peter Newcomb attributed the list's overall gains to the improving economy, as well as a good year in the financial sector and industries including food and wine.
If the economy's upward trend continues, "it won't be too long before our entire list consists of billionaires," he said.
I tried to see the Rep. vs. Dems. but they don't have that search.
Thanks for the link.
Yeah Baby! I love when they do cool stuff like this. Just what I would do!
Financial backer of SpaceShipOne, first to launch private flight into suborbital space. Added Science Fiction Museum to his Experience Music Project in Seattle; includes captain's chair from the original Star Trek.
Poor TeRAYza must be shattered by coming in LAST. A sobering experience.
Well, that's probably overstating it, as she has obviously not been sober in years. If she cannot get welfare handouts to compensate for her disastrously low income, she's at least eligible for government-sponsored drug-and-alcohol recovery programs.
I love how they say "in last place." It would kill them to say that Kerry's wife is the 313th richest person in the entire USA. Out of, what is it, 300,000,000 people?
Everyone has heard the phrase, "Looking down their noses." If you want to see exactly what that means, look at the DRUDGE home page, and look at John Kerry and Teresa.
Without ever filling out a job application.
I wonder if Mama Ther-RAY-suh controls John Heinz's kids money too? Looks like they just got a pittance while she got the Mother Lode. It's really a shame that all John's money passed to her instead of his children. She's busy blowing it on Left-Wing causes and Lurch.
"Everyone has heard the phrase, "Looking down their noses." If you want to see exactly what that means, look at the DRUDGE home page, and look at John Kerry and Teresa"
LOL We just did a caption on this picture. LOL
Teresa must be overwhelmed that her arch rival, Pittsburgh Billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife, also rich by inheritance, (although from his own family) leads her by hundreds on the Forbes list.
bump
I have checked 3 times and I still can't find my name on this list. I demand a recount!!
The same usual top three (Gates, Buffet and Allen) on the Forbes list are demoncRATS
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