senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) description Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos‘Wealth is “obscene” and calls for taxation of billionaires after Bezos leaves the company’s CEO position.
Sanders took Twitter On Monday, in order to emphasize Bezos’ income and compare it with the median salary in the United States, he repeatedly called on billionaires to pay more taxes.
Bezos founded the online retail giant Amazon in 1994 and stepped down as CEO on Monday after serving as CEO for 27 years, but he will continue to serve as the company’s executive chairman.
Sanders wrote on Twitter: “Jeff Bezos makes $2,537 per second every day.”
“Understood? This means that Jeff Bezos-the richest man on earth-earns nearly three times the average worker’s weekly income in this country in one second. This is morally obscene. . Tax billionaires,” the senator said.
Bezos With net assets of more than 200 billion U.S. dollars——An increase of 12,425% since his debut Forbes List of the 400 richest people in the United States in 1998. His net worth at the time was $1.6 billion.
Jeff Bezos makes $2,537 per second in a day.
To understanding? This means that Jeff Bezos-the richest man on earth-earns nearly three times more in one second than the average worker in this country in a week. This is morally obscene.
Tax billionaires.
-Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 5, 2021
During the COVID-19 pandemic, his wealth has also increased. From October 2019 to October 2020, Bezos’ wealth increased by $80 billion.
In the first quarter of 2021, the median weekly income in the United States was $989.Bureau of Labor Statistics April 23 report There are 112.1 million full-time wage and salaried workers nationwide.
Sanders’ latest criticism came when Bezos handed over to long-time deputy Andy Jassy.According to reports, Amazon founders will now focus on other projects, such as His space exploration company Blue Origin And philanthropy.
senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) Also criticized Bezos’ wealth on June 18 And emphasized the fact that as a CEO, his salary is roughly equivalent to the average salary of a public school teacher in Massachusetts.
“Jeff Bezos is the second richest person in the world. His net worth is close to $195 billion. But his salary is about the same as the average salary of a Massachusetts public school teacher: $80,000,” Warren said.
Bezos’ base salary in 2019 is $81,840. This is the same salary he paid when he was CEO in 1998, and roughly twice the median annual income in the United States. The average salary for teachers in Massachusetts in 2018 was $79,000.
However, Bezos’ wealth comes from his holdings in Amazon.He retains about 10% of the company’s shares After divorcing Mackenzie Scott in 2019 And his decision to sell $6.7 billion in stock earlier this year.
Weekly newspaper Senator Bernie Sanders and Amazon have been asked to comment.
Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images
