Over 400 Billionaires in U.S.

I was reading an article about how 1/2 of all of the richest Chinese want to emigrate to U.S. ,Canada and other developed countries who are worth 1.6 million dollars or more. Then I read that China now has 271 dollar Billionaires up from 189 last year. This made me wonder just how many Billionaires are in the U.S. From Forbes I was able to find out that there are at least 400 or more people worth 1 billion dollars or more in the U.S. topped once again by Bill Gates and Warren Buffet.

begin quote from:
http://news.yahoo.com/almost-half-chinas-richest-want-emigrate-survey-063620562.html

Nearly half of China's wealthiest citizens are considering emigrating, with the United States and Canada the most popular destinations, according to a new report from the authors of China's rich list.

The survey by the Bank of China and the Hurun Report, which publishes luxury magazines and runs a research institute, found that 46 percent of Chinese with assets worth more than 10 million yuan ($1.6 million) were considering moving abroad.

Another 14 percent had already begun the process, it said. Many said they were seeking a better education for their children and cited concerns about the security of their assets in China.

Nearly a third of the respondents said they already had investments overseas, in many cases to enable them to emigrate. Some countries offer residency to foreign citizens who are prepared to invest large sums. end quote.

It makes a lot of sense that the U.S. Congress is trying to make it possible for the richest Chinese and others from around the world to buy homes and invest in the U.S. This would have a similar effect as when New Zealand wouldn't let anyone emigrate unless they brought a certain amount of money with them. During these difficult times giving a green card or a permanent resident Visa to the richest people in the world if they buy a home or invest a certain amount in the U.S. might make some sense for the U.S. At the very least it would drive up property values so banks might loan money once again to the rest of us.