Amazon Tried To Jump In On The Bernie Memes And Got Roasted

@amazon, @ajay_pdx/Twitter

January 23, 2021, 10:35 am

Inauguration Day had a lot of big moments, but in the days afterwards many of them were overshadowed by the Bernie Sanders meme. It started with people joking about Bernie’s simple outfit to a huge ceremony, and the way he looked sitting in a folding chair freezing his butt off.

Advertisement
Hide

Then people started photoshopping him into just about every scenario, famous movie, and album cover. Bernie was everywhere, sitting with his arms folded and a mask on, taking it all in.

Advertisement
Hide

Then on Friday morning, the Amazon Pay Twitter account decided to use Bernie to advertise their product.

@amazon/Twitter

“How to register for Amazon Pay” they posted over Bernie’s image. The caption says, “It’s that easy. Thanks #BernieSandersMittens.”

Aside from everything else, this ad is just terrible. What is that easy? Because he’s just sitting there? It makes no sense.

But people were much more angry about the fact that Amazon would use an image of a man who absolutely hates them because of the way they exploit workers and how their founder Jeff Bezos hoards money, making even more and more during the pandemic:

Advertisement
Hide

As someone that has lots of bad ideas, I can honestly say this was a really bad idea.

— Wil Kristin (@wilkristin) January 22, 2021

So @amazonpay deleted this tweet b/c people remembered that Amazon doesn’t pay federal taxes, doesn’t pay a living wage, & doesn’t allow unions.

Hey @Amazon—maybe spend less time using Bernie memes & more time applying Bernie policy & pay your employees. pic.twitter.com/UdL16HeGp9

— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@QasimRashid) January 23, 2021

Advertisement
Hide

You now owe your workers a union, thank you

— All Cats Are Beautiful (@marxistplanner) January 22, 2021

sit the fuck down you monopolistic drain on the American dream

— Blue Pup (@SeaBluePup) January 22, 2021

Advertisement
Hide

Amazon using Bernie’s image for marketing reminds me of when Trump held up a Bible while he ordered human rts activists clobbered and gassed.

— Aimee Sukol (@SukolVentures) January 22, 2021

this is a bad meme and you are a worse company. let workers unionize.

— ajay (@ajay_pdx) January 22, 2021

Advertisement
Hide

Maybe first allow your workers to organize without harassment, pay living wages, and pullback on your horrific speedup work conditions, @Amazon, instead of say trying to coopt Bernie memes. pic.twitter.com/NXR7hvJWNf

— DSA (@DemSocialists) January 23, 2021

Advertisement
Hide

Amazon has deleted the tweet after realizing what a misstep it was to participate in the popular meme.

Amazon doesn’t want its workers to form a union because unionized workers have:
– higher wages
– better benefits
– more control over their lives

If Amazon workers in Alabama vote to form a union, that will benefit every worker in America. https://t.co/g2Zfa6DEgc

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) January 21, 2021

Bernie hasn’t commented on the tweet, but he has certainly tweeted quite a lot about Jeff Bezos and Amazon in the past, if you want to know how he really feels:

On #PrimeDay, let’s not forget. During the pandemic, Jeff Bezos became $97 billion richer by increasing prices by up to 1,000% on essential items and denying hazard pay and paid sick leave to over 450,000 of his workers. It’s time to break up Amazon and tax the rich.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) October 13, 2020

Advertisement
Hide

Leona Helmsley, multi-billionaire hotel heiress: “Only the little people pay taxes”

Yep:

Trump paid no income taxes in 10/15 years
Amazon paid no income taxes in 3 years
Billionaires pay lower tax rate than the middle class
Top 1% avoided $800 billion in taxes #TaxTheRich

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) September 28, 2020

Never forget. While Trump and the Republican Senate denied hazard pay to essential workers, their tax plan allowed Amazon to pay nothing in federal income taxes after making $29 billion in profits. Yes. Trump loves socialism for the rich, rugged capitalism for everyone else.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) August 25, 2020

While Amazon refuses to provide paid sick leave to its workers and recently eliminated hazard pay for essential workers, the owner of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, has seen his wealth go up by $74 billion making him the wealthiest person in America with a net worth of $179 billion.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 17, 2020

Advertisement
Hide

Here’s unfettered capitalism at work. Jeff Bezos, the owner of Amazon, has increased his wealth by $30 billion during the pandemic. His response: end the hazard pay increases that Amazon warehouse workers have received, despite hundreds of them being infected with the virus.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 14, 2020

It’s disgraceful that Amazon, which is owned by the richest man in the world, is not only failing to protect its workers but has now fired a worker for protesting dangerous conditions. I stand with Chris and all Amazon workers fighting for their safety. https://t.co/CRm750EvK3

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) March 31, 2020

Advertisement
Hide

Amazon should pay more than $0 in federal income taxes.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) December 27, 2019

Taxpayers have paid $115 million so Donald Trump could play golf at his own resorts.

Amazon got $129 million in tax rebates last year.

Meanwhile, the average person in poverty gets just $134 a month in nutrition assistance.

This is what a rigged economy looks like.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) December 26, 2019

While Amazon is denying paid sick leave, hazard pay and personal protective equipment to 450,000 of its workers, Jeff Bezos has increased his wealth by over $70 billion.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) August 5, 2020

Advertisement
Hide

If you’re curious as to why massive, greedy corporations like Amazon and Walmart try to bust unions, remember that union workers earn 22% more, on average, than non-union workers.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) November 24, 2019

Amazon made $11,200,000,000 in profits last year.

Its federal income tax bill: ZERO.

It is simply not true that we cannot afford to invest in housing or health care or education.

We will make massive corporations finally pay their fair share.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) November 18, 2019

Advertisement
Hide

Huge corporations like Amazon and Walmart don’t want unions because unionized workers have higher wages, better benefits and more control over their lives.

Unions are the last line of defense against corporate greed.

That’s why we’re going to double union membership nationwide.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) December 4, 2019

In a city struggling with homelessness, Amazon is dropping an outrageous amount of money to defeat progressive candidates fighting for working people.

The way Amazon conducts itself in its hometown is a perfect example of the out-of-control corporate greed we are going to end. https://t.co/E7xfmON3de

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) October 21, 2019

Advertisement
Hide

Clear your mind for a moment and count to 10.

In those 10 seconds, Jeff Bezos made more money than the median employee of Amazon makes in an entire year.

We have a crisis of inequality. We’re going to address it with a wealth tax on the top 0.1%.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) September 24, 2019

He may sit quietly, but he has a lot of loud opinions.

Share this article

*First Published: January 23, 2021, 10:35 am