Country first, billionaires!

My wife writes from Paris, where they are taking all this in with alarm, and suggests this idea for the bailout:

"How about sending round a petition for each billionaire in the US (maybe there are 700) to pitch in 1 billion to buy these rubbish assets? (like the election pledges) It would make a small dent on their fortunes, surely less than the 2000 dollars asked of the American taxpayer. After all they're the ones playing the poker game that got the country into the mess. I think they're already talking about capping the salaries - good move! What can an individual possibly need with so much personal wealth? How can a system which allows some people to accumulate massive amounts of wealth while others starve be the best in the world? I'm not advocating Communism again, but there must be a complete overhaul of the system... like you I hate all this hypocrisy about country first etc. There's so much personal greed and irresponsibility involved here. Also if they get away with it this time it will just happen again. Is there no Bill Gates out there to start off a movement?"

She includes a PS:

"John McCain could sell one of his houses. He wouldn't notice..."

Volunteers?