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The Nightly Rant Episode 156 Summary
In this episode, Mike and Torya are joined by Abe Abdelhadi for a lively discussion about the Bernie Sanders proposal to tax Amazon for workers that use public assistance.
Listen to The Nightly Rant Episode 156
The Nightly Rant Episode 156 Show Notes
DISCLAIMER: WE DID OUR BEST TO REMOVE THE ECHO YOU HEAR IN THIS EPISODE. OUR APOLOGIES!
Mike opens the show talking about their lunch with
ABE ABDELHADI! Abe is the host of The Bitter Truth and a friend of the show. He joins Mike and Torya in this episode.
Abe says he arrived on the trolley. Mike says Abe is very opinionated and he will make you laugh.
Abe talks about how he is no longer uncomfortable telling people not to eat his food. Mike says that since we are talking about the Mafia we may as well talk about Bernie Sanders and his Amazon tax.
Mike explains and introduces the Amazon tax idea. Before they get on that topic Mike explains how someone sent a cease and desist. He claimed Mike was violating his trademark and it turned out that all he had was a domain name.
Abe thinks Bernie's idea is great. Abe gives a bunch of statistics. He gives the history of corporate welfare.
Abe claims that Amazon should be forced to pay a living wage. Of course, this riles up Mike, who doesn't believe in forcing anyone to do anything. Abe is tired of paying for social services for Amazon employees. He says Bezos doesn't pay enough in taxes.
Mike says that if they would change the regulations that give them the corporate welfare. Abe claims Mike isn't really Libertarian.
Mike asks who decides what is a living wage. He says there is a reason people take the jobs. Amazon pays their average warehouse worker $15 an hour when the national average is $13.50. Abe disagrees and claims those rates include stock options. Torya backs Mike up on the wage.
Mike says that each area decides the living wage. Abe starts ranting about the ethics of not paying a living wage. Mike says we don't get to tell Bezos what to do with his money.
Mike points out that laws already exist to handle the issues Abe has with Amazon. Mike says that what Abe wants to do is have the government that failed to enforce the original law to create a new law to handle the issue.
Abe takes this on a tangent towards rapists. Mike reiterates that Abe admitted it is the government's fault. Abe claims that's only half true.
Torya says she agrees mostly with Mike and thinks this idea is really dumb. Abe goes on a rant about CEO salaries. Torya says there are better solutions than what is being proposed.
Mike points out that he and Abe disagree and they still like each other. Adults can disagree and get along.
