Sadly, the famous quote, oft attributed to John Steinbeck, that "Socialism can never take root in America because Americans don't see themselves as a proletariat but rather temporarily embarassed millionaires" explains this hero-worship. I don't think Bill, Jeff and the rest need to be evil, though. Once a person becomes wealthy, a natural corruption process sets in. That's why we are so impressed by the rare individual like Keanu Reeves who voluntarily lives a modest lifestyle despite huge financial success. Having billions inflates all egos and leads to problems, just like winning the lottery does. The solution is for government to tax these guys on capital gains, but how can that happen when our "representatives" are often millionaires?