When attempting to co-opt a meme, it’s perhaps best to first make sure the focus of said meme doesn’t absolutely despise you. Or, you could take the Amazon approach.
On Friday morning, the Amazon Pay Twitter account attempted to get in on the two-day old meme of Senator Bernie Sanders sitting alone at the inauguration of now-president Joe Biden. Someone at the company, for some reason, apparently thought a picture of the senator sitting next to the text “How to register for Amazon Pay” was just the thing to get people excited about Amazon Pay.
“It’s that easy,” reads the buck-wild tweet which, perhaps unsurprisingly, was deleted just before 4 p.m. PST. “Thanks #BernieSandersMittens”
But here’s the thing: Sen. Sanders is on Twitter, and he has his own thoughts — none of which are too kind to Amazon.
Not thinking this one through.
Image: Screenshot: @AmazonPay
So here, for your reading pleasure, is a small taste of what Sen. Sanders has said about Amazon over (only!) the past year and a half.
Amazon doesn’t want its workers to form a union because unionized workers have:
– higher wages
– better benefits
– more control over their livesIf Amazon workers in Alabama vote to form a union, that will benefit every worker in America. https://t.co/g2Zfa6DEgc
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) January 21, 2021
On #PrimeDay, let’s not forget. During the pandemic, Jeff Bezos became $97 billion richer by increasing prices by up to 1,000% on essential items and denying hazard pay and paid sick leave to over 450,000 of his workers. It’s time to break up Amazon and tax the rich.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) October 13, 2020
Leona Helmsley, multi-billionaire hotel heiress: “Only the little people pay taxes”
Yep:
Trump paid no income taxes in 10/15 years
Amazon paid no income taxes in 3 years
Billionaires pay lower tax rate than the middle class
Top 1% avoided $800 billion in taxes #TaxTheRich— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) September 28, 2020
Never forget. While Trump and the Republican Senate denied hazard pay to essential workers, their tax plan allowed Amazon to pay nothing in federal income taxes after making $29 billion in profits. Yes. Trump loves socialism for the rich, rugged capitalism for everyone else.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) August 25, 2020
While Amazon is denying paid sick leave, hazard pay and personal protective equipment to 450,000 of its workers, Jeff Bezos has increased his wealth by over $70 billion.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) August 5, 2020
While Amazon refuses to provide paid sick leave to its workers and recently eliminated hazard pay for essential workers, the owner of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, has seen his wealth go up by $74 billion making him the wealthiest person in America with a net worth of $179 billion.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 17, 2020
Here’s unfettered capitalism at work. Jeff Bezos, the owner of Amazon, has increased his wealth by $30 billion during the pandemic. His response: end the hazard pay increases that Amazon warehouse workers have received, despite hundreds of them being infected with the virus.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 14, 2020
It’s disgraceful that Amazon, which is owned by the richest man in the world, is not only failing to protect its workers but has now fired a worker for protesting dangerous conditions. I stand with Chris and all Amazon workers fighting for their safety. https://t.co/CRm750EvK3
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) March 31, 2020
Amazon should pay more than $0 in federal income taxes.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) December 27, 2019
Taxpayers have paid $115 million so Donald Trump could play golf at his own resorts.
Amazon got $129 million in tax rebates last year.
Meanwhile, the average person in poverty gets just $134 a month in nutrition assistance.
This is what a rigged economy looks like.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) December 26, 2019
Huge corporations like Amazon and Walmart don’t want unions because unionized workers have higher wages, better benefits and more control over their lives.
Unions are the last line of defense against corporate greed.
That’s why we’re going to double union membership nationwide.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) December 4, 2019
If you’re curious as to why massive, greedy corporations like Amazon and Walmart try to bust unions, remember that union workers earn 22% more, on average, than non-union workers.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) November 24, 2019
Amazon made $11,200,000,000 in profits last year.
Its federal income tax bill: ZERO.
It is simply not true that we cannot afford to invest in housing or health care or education.
We will make massive corporations finally pay their fair share.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) November 18, 2019
In a city struggling with homelessness, Amazon is dropping an outrageous amount of money to defeat progressive candidates fighting for working people.
The way Amazon conducts itself in its hometown is a perfect example of the out-of-control corporate greed we are going to end. https://t.co/E7xfmON3de
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) October 21, 2019
Clear your mind for a moment and count to 10.
In those 10 seconds, Jeff Bezos made more money than the median employee of Amazon makes in an entire year.
We have a crisis of inequality. We’re going to address it with a wealth tax on the top 0.1%.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) September 24, 2019
Thanks #BernieSandersMittens, indeed.