(CNN) - He's not running for office. He's not part of a super PAC. He's not lobbying for or against any ballot measures.
But billionaire Thomas Peterffy is spending millions on television ads this election season with one cautionary message: Avoid socialism.
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"I grew up in a socialist country and I have seen what that does to people. There is no hope, no freedom, no pride in achievement," he says with a soft Hungarian accent in the ad. "The nation became poorer and poorer, and that's what I see happening here."
Peterffy told CNN he expects to spend $5-$10 million on the ad buy, depending on its effectiveness. The spot will run on CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg, and test markets in Ohio, Wisconsin, and possibly Florida.
The one-minute spot, which began airing Wednesday and will continue through Election Day, has no mention of any specific politician or lawmaker. It's simply a plea for an end to what he sees as growing hostility to personal success - and to vote Republican.
"America's wealth comes from the efforts of people striving for success. Take away their incentive with badmouthing success and you take away the wealth that helps us take care of the needy," he says in the commercial.
Peterffy was born in Budapest in 1944 during the deadly Soviet offensive that ended in the capture of Hungary's capital the following year. From then, the republic remained under communist control until it gained independence in 1989.
The new ad features images of Peterffy as a child in Hungary and the impoverished conditions in his native country.
"As a young boy, I was fantasizing about one day going to America, making a success of myself. The American Dream," he says.
Peterffy left his country and moved to New York in 1965, where-without knowing English–he got a computer programming job on Wall Street. He later purchased his own seat on the American Stock Exchange in 1977 and, fast forward a few years, found himself the creator of Interactive Brokers, one of the first electronic trading firms.
Forbes Magazine now estimates Peterffy, 68, has a net worth of $4.6 billion.
Peterffy is not alone in his fear of a socialist America. Some Republicans have launched vocal accusations against President Barack Obama for pushing what they call socialist policies. In part, they're referring to Obama's tax proposal that would ultimately raise taxes on the wealthiest two percent of the country but maintain tax cuts for households making under $250,000 per year.
Obama and his re-election campaign argue they're not attacking success, rather they have a different viewpoint on how to create success. At the debate last week, Obama repeated his signature line, saying he wants to make sure everyone is "getting a fair share, everybody's doing a fair share, and everybody's playing by the same rules."
Peterffy, however, says such policies lead to a "slippery slope."
"I’ve paid $1.9 billion in taxes in my lifetime, now I am being told that I am not contributing my fair share?" he said in an interview.
"When you trash the leaders of businesses, they stop working hard. They go on vacation," he continued. "I even see that within myself, I used to be proud of building Interactive Brokers. I would look forward to work each day. Now I’m being told I’m not doing my fair share."
According to filings with the Federal Election Commission, the billionaire donated more than $60,000 to the Republican National Committee last year and contributed to Republican candidates including Mitt Romney, Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Linda McMahon in Connecticut, and House Speaker John Boehner.
Other billionaires, such David and Charles Koch, as well as George Soros, have played prominent roles this election, spending millions on ads for their respective candidates. But the titans maintain a low-profile, never appearing in the ads themselves.
Asked why Peterffy wanted to personally take out the ad buy–and star in the spot–he said he was concerned that Americans were unaware of the "downside" of a "less stratified society."
"If people want to go that way, I want them to go with eyes wide open, aware of all possible consequences," he added.
By: Pugnator
In: Other News
Tags: Thomas Peterffy, socialism
Location: United States (load item map)
Marked as: approved
Views: 2648 | Comments: 23 | Votes: 1 | Favorites: 2 | Shared: 64 | Updates: 0 | Times used in channels: 2
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This, this.... This gentleman shares the same views as that of my Russian teacher (who was born and grew up during the Soviet Union of Krushchev).
Amazing that most people that romantacize communism and the Soviet Union, they never lived under it's yoke.
Posted Oct-11-2012 Byconservative hispanic (943.20) 
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@conservative hispanic so true
Posted Oct-12-2012 Bydanny777 (165.32) 
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@conservative hispanic True. That is standard you know. I'm always rooting for Cubans who try to make it to America. That dry-foot law, like a baseball player sliding in to home plate. They make great Americans. And Russians do too. They're always Conservative, and they're always patriotic, and they're always hard working, and they tend to do very well. The difference between them, and home-grown leftists, is that people from Russia/Cuba actually know what they're talking about. They've seen it, More..
Posted Oct-12-2012 ByST0N3PONY (5017.62) 
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Whatever this douchebag says to do, do the opposite. This is nothing more than a Republican scare tactic, shame on them.
Canada taxes the rich at a much higher rate, and we dont tax the poor at all. I think this country is awesome, anyone else?
Posted Oct-11-2012 ByBobbydog (64.72) 
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@Bobbydog And one of the reason's it's awesome is because it isn't socialist.
Posted Oct-11-2012 ByJ-Un1t (65.56) 
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When there is a disincentive to do well, because it is easier to get something for nothing you will get the nothing 99% of the time.
We allow the government to take what they want and tax the rest, so this is our fault. We elect this shit that goes to Washington, so WE caused the trouble we are in.
Posted Oct-11-2012 ByKmanbay (689.36) Kmanbay View Channel Send Message
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It can't be fixed no matter who wins, and since both Politicians are bought and paid for by the same people this is a no brainer. How this guy got to be a Billionaire and not be able to see there is no hope, the math does not/will not work is beyond me. America will fall, it is the next great Babylon!
Posted Oct-11-2012 Byvelocity73R (328.20) 
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@velocity73R Thats why I'm not voting, They're both puppets. It's funny to see my ignorant countrymen blaming domocrats, Democrats blaming Republicans If they only knew.
Many nations are puppets for the Zionist fake nation
Posted Oct-12-2012 ByYo Daddy (50.80) 
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@Yo Daddy
Agree! But most have an edumacation and they didn't get taught that in school so you must be wrong.. :)
Posted Oct-12-2012 Byvelocity73R (328.20) 
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@velocity73R I must have my tin foil on ; )
Posted Oct-12-2012 ByYo Daddy (50.80) 
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Who wants socialism? I don't.
Posted Oct-11-2012 Bydcmfox (30832.96) 
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@dcmfox
Our current President does.
Posted Oct-11-2012 Bygunny71 (121.94) gunny71 View Channel Send Message
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@gunny71
I don't think so. What has he done to make you think that?
Posted Oct-11-2012 Bydcmfox (30832.96) 
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Don't be fooled, hunagrian millionaire means jewish crook, former french president Sarkozy was also a jewish hungraian crook.
Posted Oct-12-2012 ByJohnMcLane2008 (772.50) 
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@JohnMcLane2008 k hitler
Posted Nov-30-2012 Byblitzkrieg43 (185.40) 
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Right on, I don't want to go that way.
Posted Oct-11-2012 Bylarryparamedic (699.20) 
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@gorillabiscuits Said the clueless libtard.
Posted Oct-12-2012 ByST0N3PONY (5017.62) 
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@gorillabiscuits Said the clueless libtard.
Posted Oct-13-2012 ByST0N3PONY (5017.62) 
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@gorillabiscuits usfull idiot
Posted Nov-30-2012 Byblitzkrieg43 (185.40) 
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