Wealth tax is crucial to stop billionaire space race

(Julia, https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/07/20/nothing-says-tax-rich-recreational-billionaire-space-race-critics-denounce-bezos , 7-20)

Economic justice advocates recoiled on Tuesday at the sight of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the world's wealthiest person, launching himself into space--momentarily leaving behind a planetary emergency; a global pandemic that's disproportionately affecting poor countries without access to vaccines; and rampant wealth inequality in the U.S. and around the world--all of which could be eradicated or mitigated with a wealth tax imposed on Bezos and other billionaires. The New Shepard launch came days after business magnate Richard Branson launched his own spacecraft, beginning what the news media has called a "billionaire space race." Both flights made the latest powerful argument for a wealth tax, said critics like Public Citizen, which tweeted Tuesday: "Nothing says tax the rich like a recreational billionaire space race." Warren Gunnels, policy adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), tweeted that "if there was any economic justice in the world, we would impose a $100 billion re-entry tax on Jeff Bezos upon his return from outer space."