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Former NASA astronaut Clayton Anderson on Jeff Bezos’ first crewed Blue Origin flight.
Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos is criticized for his “despicable” comments following his space flight on Tuesday, in which he thanked Amazon employees and customers for funding his trip – including many lawmakers who urged the billionaire to pay his share of taxes here on Earth.
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Bezos’ show of appreciation on Tuesday to Amazon employees and customers who “paid for it all” in the wake of his record-breaking space flight did not dazzle Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), The Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
“Am I supposed to be impressed that a billionaire has been to space when he has paid no federal income tax in some years and the workers at his company struggle to pay their medical bills, their rent and food for their children? ” Sanders tweeted. “No. It’s time to invest in workers here on Earth.”
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Sanders’ tweet included a 54-second video showing Richard Branson winning the “billionaire space race” on July 11 in his Virgin Galactic rocket plane. The footage then features a quote Sanders gave to the New York Times about Branson and Bezos, claiming that they are the “richest guys in the world” who no longer care about Earth.
“At a time when the very rich and big companies often pay nothing or very little in taxes, they are going to have to pay their fair share so that we can protect working families in this country and deal with climate change”, Sanders said in the clip.
Warren echoed this take by tweeting, “It’s time for Jeff Bezos to take care of business here on Earth and pay his fair share of taxes.”
Politicians were apparently referring to a Pro Publica report that Bezos, who quit Amazon in July, paid no income tax in 2007 and 2011. He funds his rocket company by selling $ 1 billion of Amazon shares per year.
Ocasio-Cortez, meanwhile, said Amazon customers paid for Bezos’ trip while alleging that the online giant abused its “market power” to decimate small businesses.
“Yes, Amazon workers paid for it – with lower wages, union breakdowns, a frantic and inhumane workplace and delivery drivers without health insurance during a pandemic,” tweeted the New York legislator.
Jeff Bezos wearing a cowboy hat (Blue Origin livestream on YouTube) (Blue Origin live stream on YouTube / Fox News)
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Robert Reich, former Labor Secretary to President Bill Clinton, also targeted Bezos and Branson, saying their thefts were a sign of “grotesque inequality” that allows some people to leave Earth while others suffer.
“Who else thinks Bezos should pay his fair share of taxes before thanking Amazon customers for funding his trip to space?” Reich tweeted. “Imagine if billionaires invested so much time and money in preserving the planet we are already on.”
Bezos handed over $ 100 million each to political commentator Van Jones and Chief Jose Andres at a press conference after his trip, telling the couple to donate it to charities and nonprofits.
But that apparently failed to convince Representative Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat on the Tax Drafting Ways and Means Committee, who on Tuesday proposed legislation to tax space travel for unscientific research purposes.
“Space travel is not a tax-free vacation for the rich,” Blumenauer tweeted. “We pay taxes on airline tickets. Billionaires who fly in space – producing no scientific value – should do the same, and more!”
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Some Amazon customers have also criticized Bezos’ nod for paying for his trip, saying he has officially lost their business.
“I don’t buy a lot from Amazon (certainly not books), but after seeing Jeff Bezos and his gang laugh at his minimum wage workers and his customers paying for his space trip, I just cancel my Amazon Prime account, ”former Amazon customer Jules Swain tweeted on Tuesday, later calling Bezos“ despicable ”in a follow-up post.
“I just did the same Jules! a read response.
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