Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: One was killed, another injured in a raid by an Israeli drone on the city of Khiam in South Lebanon
London views possibility of setting fire to tanker in port of friendly country to Russia to damage port infrastructure, initiate an international probe: Moscow
One of London's scenarios involves setting up accident with 'undesirable' tanker in one of the bottlenecks of maritime communications: Russian foreign intelligence agency
London plans to organize major sabotage with tankers to declare transportation of Russian oil to international shipping: Russian foreign intelligence agency
UK intelligence agencies plan to use NATO allies to launch massive raid on 'Shadow Fleet': Russian foreign intelligence agency
Palestinian Ministry of Health: Two were martyred in Israeli shelling that targeted a besieged house in the town of Qabatiya in Jenin
At least 68 dead in migrant shipwreck off Yemen: IOM
Trump: We want to feed the people in Gaza, we do not want them to starve.
US President Donald Trump: We will impose sanctions on Russia if it does not end the war on Ukraine.
Israeli media: Polls show that 52% oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while only 29% support him.

Bernie Sanders says income over $1bn should be taxed 100%

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 2 May 2023 14:43
3 Min Read

In an interview with journalist Chris Wallace, the Vermont senator warned against unrestrained capitalism.

  • x
  • Bernie Sanders says income over $1bn should be taxed 100%
    Bernie Sanders speaks during the SC Democratic Convention in Columbia, South Carolina, US, June 22, 2019. (Reuters)

Bernie Sanders, the left-leaning senator from Vermont, declared late last week that the US government should seize 100% of any income earned by Americans exceeding $999 million.

In a conversation with Chris Wallace on Friday night's episode of Who's Talking to Chris Wallace on HBO Max, Sanders shared this viewpoint following a sweeping claim that billionaires shouldn't exist, which was made in his book It's OK to Be Angry on Capitalism.

Read more: Sanders withdraws Yemen resolution, will work on compromise with WH

Matthews asked Sanders if he was essentially arguing that "after you get $999 million, the government should confiscate all the rest"? Matthews asked Sanders, who also serves in the Democratic caucus and helped the party win a narrow upper chamber majority.

“Yeah,” Sanders replied. “You may disagree with me but, fine, I think people can make it on $999m. I think that they can survive just fine.”

Wallace has previously discussed how the late Sam Walton's family's estimated $225 billion wealth allowed him to turn the enormous retail company Walmart into the largest single private employer in the US. Despite the wealth of the Waltons, Sanders argued that Walmart frequently pays its 2.1 million employees starvation wages.

Related News

Putin open to meeting Zelensky pending expert-level talks: Peskov

Pro-'Israel' Democrats breaking with Netanyahu amid Gaza war

“Many of their workers are on Medicaid or food stamps,” Sanders referred to forms of government assistance that low-income Americans can qualify for.

“In other words, taxpayers are subsidizing the wealthiest family in the country. Do I think that’s right? No, I don’t.”

Sanders explained that his comments were not a personal attack on billionaires or the Waltons but rather an attack against the system itself. 

“You can have a vibrant economy without [a few] people owning more wealth than the bottom half of American society” combined, he asserted.

The Vermont Senator further said that if he were in power people who made "a lot of money" were going to pay "a whole lot of money." 

In his aforementioned book, he makes a number of observations, including the fact that 10% of US citizens hold 90% of the country's wealth.

Additionally, he contends that unbridled capitalism destroys anything that stands in the way of the pursuit of profits, such as the environment, democracy, and human rights.

In an interview with Wallace on Friday, Sanders explained that while he thought "people who work hard and create businesses should be rich," the idea of certain individuals becoming billionaires severely irritated him, given that 500,000 Americans are homeless and 85 million of them cannot afford health care.

  • Bernie Sanders
  • Taxes
  • United States
  • income taxes
  • Democratic Party
  • Capitalism

Most Read

A rescued crew member from the ETERNITY C vessel in a video released by the Yemeni Armed Forces on July 28, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen Navy reveals fate of targeted Eternity C ship crew

  • Politics
  • 28 Jul 2025
An Israeli tank explodes following an ambush by al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza, Occupied Palestine, undated (Al-Qassam Military Media)

Al-Qassam strikes Israeli vehicles in Gaza, inflicts casualties

  • Politics
  • 30 Jul 2025
UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

  • Politics
  • 1 Aug 2025
Protesters chant anti-Israeli slogans as they carry a banner that reads:" Freedom for Palestine, Alliance stop the war," during a demonstration in support of Palestinians in Gaza, outside the Israeli embassy, in Athens, Monday, June 9, 2025 (AP)

Athens mayor slams Israeli ambassador over Gaza war, graffiti claim

  • Politics
  • 3 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A member of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, takes part in a parade as he celebrates a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and the Israeli regime in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Sunday, January 19, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Al-Qassam: We’ll allow aid to Israeli captives if Gaza siege ends

Freed Lebanese freedom fighter Georges Abdallah during an interview on Al Mayadeen, which aired on Sunday, August 3, 2025 (Al Mayadeen screengrab)
Politics

Exclusive: Resistance key to building state, Georges Abdallah says

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres gives a statement about the situation in Gaza at UN headquarters, Friday, June 27, 2025 (AP)
Politics

UN warns Gaza faces water crisis, looming famine under Israeli siege

Israeli soldiers drive their armored personnel carrier along the Gaza Strip, in southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ex-Israeli general says Gaza starvation campaign isolated 'Israel'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS