Former Starbucks CEO Really Hates Being Called A 'Billionaire' By Bernie Sanders
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is most associated with coffee, but it seems he also has a strong appreciation for “whine.”
That was apparent Wednesday when Schultz testified in a high-profile hearing about union-busting allegations against the coffee chain.
Not only was Schultz unhappy about being called a union buster, but the man whose personal fortune is estimated at $4.3 billion also took umbrage at being called a “billionaire.”
“This moniker, ‘billionaire’ ― let’s just get at that, OK?” he said. “I grew up in federally subsidized housing. My parents never owned a home. I came from nothing ... Yes, I have billions of dollars. I earned it, no one gave it to me.”
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz complains about Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) “unfair” labeling of him as a billionaire:
“I came from nothing … Yes, I have billions of dollars — I earned it. No one gave it to me. And I’ve shared it constantly with the people of Starbucks.” pic.twitter.com/Cl95jg0GVZ— The Recount (@therecount) March 29, 2023
“It’s your moniker, constantly,” Schultz went on, addressing Sanders. “It’s unfair.”
Schultz’s unhappiness with the B-word is nothing new.
During a brief period in 2019 when he was considering running for president, Schultz tried to inspire people to use his preferred terms for the rich: “people of wealth” and “people of means.”
Spoiler alert: It didn’t catch on.
As you probably predicted, Twitter wits roasted Schultz’s defensive testimony.
“I grew up in federally subsidized housing.”
[Ten seconds later]
“I have billions of dollars…no one gave it to me.” https://t.co/TWmsSAjE4m— Abdallah Fayyad (@abdallah_fayyad) March 29, 2023
The fact that being called a billionaire is seen as an insult is a good thing.
That being said, no, Howard: you didn't earn it. Not by yourself. You had the help of thousands of workers, most of whom you share a pittance with. https://t.co/lqqxps9w2X— Brendan Toungate (@HobbyistBrendan) March 29, 2023
Embarrassing. You’ve earned it? You operate all 35,711 Starbucks yourself? You make all those lattes yourself? You engage in illegal labor practices to make that money. You did not earn it. You are a petty man @HowardSchultzhttps://t.co/Qf3yksbfvO
— ʟʊӼɛ ✨ (@luxeprogressive) March 29, 2023
― Starbucks has the 11th worst CEO-to-worker pay ratio among the S&P 500. 1,600 times more than the average Starbucks employee.
- Starbucks’ federal tax rate was cut from 28% to 18%
s in 2017.
- In 2018 and 2020 Starbucks paid only 5.8% and 3.3% tax rate https://t.co/kCnT9Fyde7— Mr Dave Anthony (Lord) (@daveanthony) March 29, 2023
If you’re a billionaire and your employees don’t earn enough to rent an apartment or raise kids in their city, you have built your wealth on the backs of working people. https://t.co/gcJzxAvSIs
— sarah kelly (@thesarahkelly) March 29, 2023
Won't someone please think of the billionaires!!😭 , in the 50s and early 60s he be taxed at 92%. I hope that happens again, also I hope someone sneaks up behind him gets on all fours, while another person pushes him over (believe it's called waterfalling) https://t.co/ESNbYXdlKL
— CarShaun City (@BetterWorld86) March 29, 2023
He’s not a billionaire, he’s a person experiencing billions of dollars https://t.co/IckZzIE1Pk
— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) March 29, 2023
Let's use people-first language, please. I'm not a billionaire. I'm a person with billions. https://t.co/9gsyW7Bjcq
— Jarvis DeBerry (@jarvisdeberry) March 29, 2023
So he hates being called exactly what he worked hard for to become in the first place. Their mental illness even stops them from being normal people too. WOWSERS!
— The Gen-X Icon (@markbland) March 29, 2023
Howard Schultz identifies as poor https://t.co/ycRWQpd3Ff
— pat wise (@patwiselive) March 29, 2023
wish that the opportunities that enabled his profound, upward mobility existed for all. https://t.co/Y0ZTuL0oly
— Lora Kolodny (@lorakolodny) March 29, 2023
But one tweet may have summed up the overall mood quite succinctly.
All that money and he’s still a whiny punk. https://t.co/wbxmniEFir
— Danny O'Neil (@dannyoneil) March 29, 2023
