Howard Schultz: Green New Deal backed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is "immoral" and "not realistic"

[workinclasszero]

The former Starbucks CEO previously called AOC's proposed 70 percent tax rate on the super-rich "punitive"

SHIRA TARLO FEBRUARY 13, 2019 4:36PM (UTC)

At other points throughout the event in Houston, Schultz criticized progressive Democrats calls to increase taxes, but he did not provide any details about how the rate he believed the richest Americans should pay.

Pressed by CNN's Poppy Harlow to provide some kind of detail on what that number would be — such as a hike of 2 percent or 10 percent or 20 — Schultz said he did not know.

"I don't know what the number is," he said.

Schultz, who has never held political office, was clear on what he did not support: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's proposal of a 70 percent marginal tax rate on income earned above $10 million, which he has previously called "punitive." On Tuesday, he also slammed the New York Democrat's Green New Deal, an ambitious plan backed by Ocasio-Cortez and other Democrats to combat the threat of climate change and create jobs, as "immoral" and "not realistic."

The billionaire former CEO also did not commit to selling his Starbucks shares if he were to be elected president. Instead, he said he would "do nothing whatsoever to have any conflict of interest between my investments overall or my interests in the company that I love, because I will put the role and responsibility and the accountability for results first if I run for president. And I'm fortunate enough to win."

https://www.salon.com/2019/02/13/howard-schultz-green-new-deal-backed-by-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-is-immoral/

[Loki Liesmith]

1. Well it's not realistic

But I have no idea what’s immoral about it.

[madaboutharry]

2. The degree to which the Green New Deal is realistic is for debate,

but "immoral"? Really Howard?

[workinclasszero]

7. He made his billions on the backs of minimum wage paid slaves

and its "immoral" in his greedy mind him to give any of it back to society!

How Much Does a Barista Earn Per Hour?

Most baristas earn the minimum wage for their state, or slightly more. As of 2012, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that as of 2011, coffee shop attendants and other food counter attendants earned an average of $19,450 per year and $9.35 per hour. Half of all coffee shop and food counter attendants reportedly earned between $8.26 and $9.82 per hour.

https://work.chron.com/much-barista-earn-per-hour-14009.html

[Guilded Lilly]

3. In other words he loves his $ and will vilify anyone attempting to take a penny away from him n/t

[NightWatcher]

4. Says the guy who made a fortune from $5 cups of coff

Let that venti frap around your mind for a while.

[workinclasszero]

8. IKR?

Damn crook charging that much for burnt bitter coffee!

[QC]

12. And burnt coffee at that. n/t

[workinclasszero]

19. Heck yes!

Gotta drown it in half & half personally.

Well I'm boycotting Starbucks until this clown is no longer running so no prob now!

[QC]

23. Charbucks is vile and so is Howie. n/t

[guillaumeb]

5. Immoral is ignoring he existential threat of global warming

while enriching yourself at the expense of others Mr. Schultz.

[dalton99a]

6. Billionaires are your best bet if you want to look for guidance on morality and fairness

[shanny]

9. LOL. Billionaire offers his take on immorality.

Your existence is proof of an immoral society.

[workinclasszero]

13. Right, billionaire minimum wage slave driver will now instruct us unwashed masses

on the virtues of barely making a living in service to POS masters of the universe like himself that want to destroy the world!

Irony just died, I think.

[flibbitygiblets]

10. Time for a Starbucks boycott, methinks.

"he said he would "do nothing whatsoever to have any conflict of interest between my investments overall or my interests in the company"

hmmm, where have I heard that before?

[workinclasszero]

14. Yup

Ole Howard is reading out of tRumps playbook now.

Watch it starbucks king, your mask is starting to come off!

[Cuthbert Allgood]

11. We just need to stop having billionaires be President.

Isn't that clear.

And does he realize that we actually did tax the top marginal rate at over 70% until Reagan? How did we every survive as a country?

[workinclasszero]

16. I believe it was 90% in Eisenhower's day

You know when the government, even republicans , gave a shit about...GASP...non billionares!!

[moondust]

15. Says the guy whose profit model

has no doubt contributed significantly to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and other long-term damage to the environment.

Marine life is facing "irreparable damage" from the millions of tonnes of plastic waste which ends up in the oceans each year, the United Nations has warned.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

17. Isn't it about time for this guy to fuck off?

[workinclasszero]

18. Oh I bet CNN has him all lined up for many more town hall shows because...

"reasons".

[Initech]

28. After 3 years of Chump, the corporate coup is almost complete. Schultz is the next logical step.

After this, America will be like:

[workinclasszero]

32. Bingo

The 1% just love their billionaire candidates and CNN is more than happy to give them a nationwide boost whenever possible.

[EveHammond13]

20. I am really starting to hate this man.

[Glimmer of Hope]

21. Can we just ignore him? I think he will go away.

[Tiggeroshii]

22. eww

[JHB]

24. We spent half the 20th century with a top tax rate at or over 70%

Out of 107 years of the income tax, 50 of them had a top marginal rate of 70% or higher.

None of those years were in this century, so all 50 were in the 20th.

Half.

It actually worked pretty well for the country.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

25. Hey Howard

Take your overpriced coffee and shove it up your ass.

[Midnightwalk]

26. He wants another billionaire driven tax reform

In the space of few days he went from slamming the 70% top marginal rate to saying well maybe I should pay more but I don’t know how much.

In that same interview though he gave away the plot

Moderator Poppy Harlow pressed Schultz on how much more he thinks the wealthy should pay: 2%? 10%? 20%? “I don’t what the number is,” he answered. “What I am saying is we need comprehensive tax reform.”

I don’t trust this guy at all. He pretends to dislike trumps tax cuts, but why should i trust another billionaire inspired tax reform plan? Trump also said he would wind up paying more. How did that work out?

If you need any more why does he think it is unfair to call him a billionaire?

[AnnieBW]

27. Paying Coffee Growers Pennies for Coffee Beans Is Immoral

A Green New Deal is not. STFU, Coffee Boy.

[struggle4progress]

29. "Now you can put a different clueless billionaire in the White House!"

[bigtree]

30. he's bitter

...like his coffee.

Schultz offers nothing to substitute what he's criticizing. The attention he's getting because of his personal wealth is privilege in action.

[redstateblues]

31. Possibly half right

[Vinca]

33. I don't understand the resistance to addressing climate change by this character and all of the GOP.

You can have the biggest pile of cash on the planet, but if the means to sustain life are destroyed it's not going to matter a bit. If I were a young person, I would plan on not having children. The horrors they might face are worse than anything we can imagine.