Elon Musk v Bernie Sanders: Here's why the two are feuding and what's at stake
Elon Musk loves to tweet, and also, he apparently loves a feud. On November 14, the Tesla CEO appeared to reignite his months-long battle with Senator Bernie Sanders, by clapping back with "I keep forgetting that you’re still alive" in response to yet another Bernie tweet about making the wealthy pay "their fair share". The response had the internet furious with Musk, with many slamming him for attempting to skirt the issue.
Musk and Bernie have targeted each other in the past, with the Tesla CEO acting as a punching bag for Sanders' exasperation with America's wealth gap. This isn't new though, many of the richest Americans have taken offense with Sanders in the past, including former President Donald Trump himself. That hasn't stopped the Vermont Senator from pushing for more robust legislation, as America struggles to lift itself from the Covid-19 recession.
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Amongst the many bills Sanders has backed, there's one in particular that could hurt Musk - The Make Billionaires Pay Act. The bill is still stuck in committee and is unlikely to see the light of day anytime soon, but if it ever comes to vote, it could pose a real threat to Musk's massive fortune.
Pandemic wealth woes for the US
If you are wondering why Sanders and Musk are feuding, it's because Sanders wants Musk to cough up. Since January 1, 2020, American billionaires have added more than $1.8 trillion to their wealth according to Forbes. From that, Musk alone gained 2.93 billion between January and November 2020. By August 2021, Musk added a total of $150 billion to his fortune, fuelled by Tesla and SpaceX. Of all the billionaires, he made the most during the pandemic, beating out even Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Warren Buffet.
In contrast, the average American has not seen such a great gain. According to Federal Reserve data, the average American has benefitted from the pandemic, but as NBC noted, "averages can be misleading". Breaking down the data, you can see those without high school diplomas are worth $10 billion less they were before the pandemic. Meanwhile, those with college degrees are worth $22.5 trillion more. Divided for class, race, and income bracket, the numbers just don't look good for most Americans.
Enter The Make Billionaires Pay Act. If passed, it would levy a one-time 60% tax on those worth at least $1 billion, for money earned between March 18 and December 31, 2020. It was introduced in the Senate by Sanders in August 2020, and days later in the House by Rep. Ilhan Omar. It's been stuck there since, with even some Democrats viewing it as a little bit extreme.
The Musk-Sanders feud
The act is just one of the many ways Sanders is hoping America's wealthiest will pay their share. There are also changes to the tax code and provisions in President Joe Biden's Build Back Better agenda. But so far the act does seem like the most straightforward way to get the money. If passed, Musk would be forced to pay $27.5 billion, which clearly he has no intention of doing.
Shortly after the bill was announced, Musk trolled Sanders with a tweet, to which he responded with, "Every time Elon Musk pokes fun at government assistance for the 99%, remember that he would be worth nothing without $4.9 billion in corporate welfare. Oh, Elon just l-o-v-e-s corporate socialism for himself, rugged capitalism for everyone else."
Every time Elon Musk pokes fun at government assistance for the 99%, remember that he would be worth nothing without $4.9 billion in corporate welfare. Oh, Elon just l-o-v-e-s corporate socialism for himself, rugged capitalism for everyone else. https://t.co/rj8FgwEDMQ pic.twitter.com/bxHcXul925
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) August 7, 2020
On November 13, 2021, Musk returned for Round 2. After Sanders tweeted, "We must demand that the extremely wealthy pay their fair share. Period," Musk replied with "I keep forgetting that you’re still alive," and "Want me to sell more stock, Bernie? Just say the word." The latter is a reference to Musks' recent selling of $6.9 billion worth of Tesla shares.
Sanders hasn't yet responded to Musk's most recent trolling effort, but it seems he doesn't need to. Musk was immediately hit with a barrage of tweets criticizing him, while a handful decided to step up and defend him. Their feud has now once again captured the imagination of social media and is likely to do so for the foreseeable future. So far, neither side looks like they are giving up, so it all lies in the hands of Congress now. Can they get Musk to pay up?