White House Vs Bezos: It "doesn' require a huge leap" to understand his opposition to super-rich tax

On Sunday evening, the White House retaliated against Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for opposing an economic stimulus package that included taxes on the wealthiest Americans.

"It doesn't require a huge leap to figure out why one of the wealthiest individuals on Earth opposes an economic agenda for the middle class that cuts some of the biggest costs families face, fights inflation for the long haul, and adds to the historic deficit reduction the President is achieving by asking the richest taxpayers and corporations to pay their fair share," White House spokesman Andrew Bates told The Washington Post's Jeff Stein.

"It's also unsurprising that this tweet comes after the President met with labor organizers, including Amazon employees." Bates continued.

Earlier that day, Bezos had chastised President Joe Biden's administration for attempting to pass the Build Back Better social and climate spending package. "more stimulus into an already over-heated, inflationary economy and only Manchin saved them from themselves." he claimed.

That was a reference to West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat who voted against the spending bill in late December. So far, Democrats have been unable to revive a smaller version of the bill, and Manchin has wavered on whether he will support a bill. Without his support in the 50-50 Senate, Democrats will be unable to pass the plan despite widespread Republican opposition.

Biden's Build Back Better plan is not the same as the $1.9 trillion stimulus bill he signed into law in March 2021. The stimulus was intended to be a one-time relief effort, with direct payments and unemployment benefits for individuals, state and local government aid, and money for public-health systems. Because the federal government did not raise revenue to cover those costs, they were added to the national debt.

Some experts believe it exacerbated inflation by overpowering demand. Supply-chain bottlenecks and other pandemic-related disruptions have contributed to rising grocery and gas prices.

The tax hikes on the wealthiest Americans were supposed to cover the entire cost of the Build Back Better plan. While that bill has been put on hold, Biden has been concentrating on repackaging his agenda in order to combat inflation while also promoting his labor credentials. Earlier this month, he hosted union organizers from Amazon and Starbucks.

By fLEXI tEAM