It probably comes as no surprise that wealthy white men have a habit of running for President of the United States… just look at Donald Trump. Whether it’s the level of power or the accompanying social status, there seems to be something inherent that draws businessmen to the highest position in the country. So what’s stopping billionaire philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates?
Yes, Bill Gates is eligible to run for President of the United States but for many years the businessman has said it’s not on his agenda. In a 2018 ‘Ask Me Anything’ session on Reddit, Bill said: “I won’t be running for President because I am super committed to the work Melinda and I are doing at the Foundation”.
So for now, at least, it seems that Bill is content with his charitable endeavours through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Most people can only dream about becoming President, but for Gates, the position is at his fingertips. Keep reading as we envision what life would be like with Bill Gates as POTUS – which party would he run for and what would his policies be?
Why Not?
Since George Washington was elected in 1789, the legal eligibility requirements for presidential candidacy have remained the same: candidates must be natural-born US citizens, at least 35 years old, and US residents of 14 years.
As a lifelong US resident who was born in Seattle, Washington, and is currently 64-years old, Bill Gates ticks all of these boxes. He has an army of loyal supporters that would love to see him as President, so why is Gates not interested?
Throughout his career Bill has maintained a relatively low profile. Since stepping down as the CEO of Microsoft in 2000, Gates has become somewhat more open, but we still don’t know much about him. Unlike other A-list celebrities, his personal life is not plastered across the tabloids.
But as POTUS this degree of privacy would not be possible, as every move is highly scrutinized. Bill already had a taste of this scrutiny during his time as CEO of Microsoft, and this culminated in him stepping down relatively prematurely. So it’s possible that Gates simply doesn’t want to live the rest of his life under a microscope.
What’s more, as the second richest person in the world Bill Gates already has a great deal of power. In 2018, for instance, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation became the World Health Organization’s second biggest donor, contributing 9.8%of their total donations.
This gives the Gates’ a lot of influence over WHOs agenda. In the past, they’ve successfully convinced them to allocate more resources to the eradication of Polio, for example. Critics have labeled this ‘monopolistic philanthropy’ and argue that Bill is treated “like a head of state” within the organization.
POTUS
The immense amount of power and control that Bill Gates currently has means he’s unlikely to ever run for President. But what would it be like if he did?
In the past Gates has been tight-lipped about his political affiliations, refusing to align himself with either the Democrats or the Republicans. According to OpenSecrets, however, Bill has contributed to 8 democratic campaigns and 6 republican campaigns. So on the balance of things, Gates would probably run as a presidential candidate for the democratic party.
In terms of policies, Gates has been clear that he thinks the US needs to reform its taxation regulations. In 2019 he told The Verge: “I believe US tax rates can be more progressive. […] The estate tax and the tax on capital, the way the FICA and Social Security taxes work. We can be more progressive without really threatening income generation”.
In a separate interview Gates also said it’s important to have a President who researches disease burdens and costs, tackles climate change, and improves education. So it’s likely that these issues would be high up on Bill’s political agenda too.
Do you think Bill Gates would make a good President?