Amazon Gets Tax Breaks While Its Employees Rely on Food Stamps

Megalith

Megalith

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The Intercept is reporting that Amazon is effectively receiving a double subsidy by accepting food stamps for grocery orders, as many of its own employees are dependent on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. In at least four states, Amazon was featured on the list of top employers with SNAP recipients.

The American people are financing Amazon’s pursuit of an e-commerce monopoly every step of the way: first, with tax breaks, subsidies, and infrastructure improvements meant to lure fulfillment centers into town, and later with federal transfers to pay for warehouse workers’ food. And soon, when the company begins accepting SNAP dollars to purchase its goods, a third transfer of public wealth to private hands will become a part of the company’s business model.
 
Not to mention the subsidy the post office provides by delivering their packages through a subsidized government agency created for letters only not packages. Something that private enterprise is supposed to do.

I mean is it really a big shock to anyone that massive corporations that own and run news organizations, at a loss, donate huge sums to politicians, and runs astroturf farms paying people $14 an hour to shill online for them, then reap massive gains from the taxpayer?
 
Snowdensjacket said:
Not to mention the subsidy the post office provides by delivering their packages through a subsidized government agency created for letters only not packages. Something that private enterprise is supposed to do.

I mean is it really a big shock to anyone that massive corporations that own and run news organizations, at a loss, donate huge sums to politicians, and runs astroturf farms paying people $14 an hour to shill online for them, then reap massive gains from the taxpayer?
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Lots of BS here. First of all, USPS makes a profit on deliveries for Amazon. UPS isn't subsidizing Amazon. Second, Amazon doesn't own or run any news organizations. Nor is there any evidence that they run any astroturf farms.

So basically, not a damn thing in your post is true.
 
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aaronspink said:
Lots of BS here. First of all, UPS makes a profit on deliveries for Amazon. UPS isn't subsidizing Amazon. Second, Amazon doesn't own or run any news organizations. Nor is there any evidence that they run any astroturf farms.

So basically, not a damn thing in your post is true.
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Sure there is buddy there were news articles about it a few years ago that have since been memory holed. Second I was talking about USPS not UPS, but referring to UPS no they do not make any money delivering Amazon packages I know this I work for them. And when Amazon started using their own prime delivery it was no big deal at all because Amazon packages are all delivered at cost and used only to mitigate fleet costs. Expect for premium delivery. Also Amazon owns the Washington Post, which should be common knowledge.

Do keep Shillong for your corporate overlords though it's a good look on you.
 
aaronspink said:
Second, Amazon doesn't own or run any news organizations.
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Heh. Guess who owns the Washington Post? Now take a wild guess why Drumpf suddenly started pretending to have a problem with Amazon, with made-up BS about the USPS "losing a fortune" on them, when in fact check reality the opposite is true.
In 2017, parcels brought in $19.5 billion, or 28 percent of USPS’ annual revenue. At $2.1 billion, packages contributed the largest revenue increase.
Deals with private shippers like Amazon accounted for $7 billion of the $19.5 billion in revenue.
Click to expand...

DJT is a moron. He's only mad at Bezos because WaPo has the nerve to report things he actually says.
 
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Snowdensjacket said:
Sure there is buddy there were news articles about it a few years ago that have since been memory holed. Second I was talking about USPS not UPS, but referring to UPS no they do not make any money delivering Amazon packages I know this I work for them. And when Amazon started using their own prime delivery it was no big deal at all because Amazon packages are all delivered at cost and used only to mitigate fleet costs. Expect for premium delivery. Also Amazon owns the Washington Post, which should be common knowledge.

Do keep Shillong for your corporate overlords though it's a good look on you.
Click to expand...

Small typo, UPS should of course been USPS. And yes, they make money delivering packages for Amazon according to both USPS and every single oversight/IG that has looked into it. And likewise, UPS is making money on what they charge amazon or they wouldn't sign the contract.

And Amazon has no ownership of the Washington Post. Whoever told you that is completely full of unmitigated BS. I'll won't hold my breath while you try to find the ownership that isn't there.
 
odditory said:
Heh. Guess who owns the Washington Post? Now take a wild guess why Drumpf suddenly started pretending to have a problem with Amazon, with made-up BS about the USPS "losing a fortune" on them, when in fact check reality the opposite is true.
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Bezos != amazon. Amazon is a publicly traded multi-national corp with a rather large ownership pool.
 
ChadD said:
So amazon is like a 19th century mining company paying employees in tokens they can spend at the company store. What is old is new again.
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Walmart was doing it two decades ago. Supposedly they have employee hotlines to help you sign up for everything possible lol.
 
Gotta pay those share holders. Be damned those pesky employee's. Doesn't matter that if it wasn't for them we couldn't pay the share holders to begin with.
 
When I stop getting tons of junk mail in my mailbox, I'll start considering whether or not USPS is getting taken advantage of by Amazon.
 
One of the wealthiest men in the world and he can't pay his employees more?

This man will die within the next 30 to 35 years or sooner and without a doubt will leave behind billions and billions of dollars.

If you shop for food items at Amazon I would consider you very loose with your money. Prices are much higher than your local store. Those dollars do add up to a substantial amount over the course of a year.

2nd, if you don't check eBay against the items you're about to buy on Amazon, again, you're loose with your money. Most of the time you can save $10 - $20 - $30 dollars if not more, sometimes a lot more. I do this all the time. Case in point. I wanted a 1tb 960 Pro NVMe SSD. Found 2 on eBay for $300 each. Amazon? $600 dollars a pop!

While I love Amazon, I am not a slave to Amazon. I've saved $1,000's of dollars shopping on eBay buying the same exact item cheaper than Amazon. It adds up big time.

I am almost positive many of you over pay for the convenience of 2 day shipping even it means you over pay for the items, This is just absolute silliness.

If I were ever in this position of one of the wealthiest men in the world I would find a way to have a ton of money and investments for myself, my Family but I would also go beyond the call of duty with it came to my employees. The people that helped me build my business.

He really can have it both ways if he wanted. I'll stop short of calling the man greedy but I will say that I hope he finds a way to treat the people around him better over time.

Having to pee in water bottles?

Very strict 3 strikes your out rules for coming in late to work that results in the loss of your job?

Anyways, good luck to all those Amazon employees.
 
You guys let me know when you have created the perfect world/utopia.
 
Snowdensjacket said:
Not to mention the subsidy the post office provides by delivering their packages through a subsidized government agency created for letters only not packages. Something that private enterprise is supposed to do.

I mean is it really a big shock to anyone that massive corporations that own and run news organizations, at a loss, donate huge sums to politicians, and runs astroturf farms paying people $14 an hour to shill online for them, then reap massive gains from the taxpayer?
Click to expand...

You really shouldn't listen to Trump. The USPS is not "subsidizing" Amazon:
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-m...mp-usps-postal-service-amazon-losing-fortune/
 
mullet said:
You guys let me know when you have created the perfect world/utopia.
Click to expand...

You're right. Why even try? Seems pointless to report on these types of stories and share social commentary. Thanks for the support. That's exactly what we all needed to hear.
 
Jim Kim said:
Nothing to see here;
Walmart Workers Cost Taxpayers $6.2 Billion In Public Assistance
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Walmart is very likely the business with the largest number of Medicaid recipients too. They've been relying on the public dole far longer and to a greater extent than Amazon.

I must say though, that I was much happier when UPS and FedEx did the Amazon deliveries. My USPS service sucks, surprising that government employees don't give a shit about service.
 
Megalith said:
The Intercept is reporting that Amazon is effectively receiving a double subsidy by accepting food stamps for grocery orders, as many of its own employees are dependent on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. In at least four states, Amazon was featured on the list of top employers with SNAP recipients.

The American people are financing Amazon’s pursuit of an e-commerce monopoly every step of the way: first, with tax breaks, subsidies, and infrastructure improvements meant to lure fulfillment centers into town, and later with federal transfers to pay for warehouse workers’ food. And soon, when the company begins accepting SNAP dollars to purchase its goods, a third transfer of public wealth to private hands will become a part of the company’s business model.
Click to expand...

This is not something new, Walmart's been doing the same thing for a long time now, one of the biggest culprits by far in such practices.

Welcome to Corporatism, lords and peasants are now corporations and disposable labor.
 
Amazon is in an industry that is extremely price sensitive. Of course workers are not going to be compensated well. That's why you don't make $15 an hour at McDonald's in most parts of the country.
 
What percent of the internet runs on aws and what fee do they pull in from this percent of the entire internet round the clock?

That is the business model, domination.
 
DarthBeavis said:
Yep. Don't like your wage - get living wage skills and/or a living wage education.
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They can pay for that education with the money they don't have enough of to buy their own food. That's how that works, right?

Madoc said:
When I stop getting tons of junk mail in my mailbox, I'll start considering whether or not USPS is getting taken advantage of by Amazon.
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That junk mail is a major revenue source for the USPS. If it goes away, so too does daily mail delivery.

bigdogchris said:
Amazon is in an industry that is extremely price sensitive. Of course workers are not going to be compensated well. That's why you don't make $15 an hour at McDonald's in most parts of the country.
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Amazon's the one who made that industry so price sensitive.

And if you can't afford to keep your employees fed, can you really afford to be in business?

Cipix said:
Good ole trickle down.
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Right on our heads. Smells funny, though...
 
1. Amazon has employees that are on food stamps
2. Amazon will accept payment from SNAP / food stamps

There is no correlation between one and two.

The basic premise of the article is assuming that the employees on foodstamps will buy from Amazon and thus Amazon would receive a double dip - essentially paying themselves.

If a person were on foodstamps, we can assume that price would be their primary priority. I've used Amazon Fresh / whatever it's called before and I can say that they ARE NOT the best PRICED grocery supplier and logic would dictate that they would not be the destination for price-conscious buyers.

About the only people ordering groceries from Amazon (or similar delivery services such as Peapod) are those with higher disposable income who just aren't as price conscious OR those physically unable to go grocery shopping, such as the aged / infirm or the physically handicapped.
 
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odditory said:
Heh. Guess who owns the Washington Post? Now take a wild guess why Drumpf suddenly started pretending to have a problem with Amazon, with made-up BS about the USPS "losing a fortune" on them, when in fact check reality the opposite is true.


DJT is a moron. He's only mad at Bezos because WaPo has the nerve to report things he actually says.
Click to expand...

Revenue is not profit. But keep shilling for your corporate overlords they sure are better than the democratically elected president.
 
aaronspink said:
Small typo, UPS should of course been USPS. And yes, they make money delivering packages for Amazon according to both USPS and every single oversight/IG that has looked into it. And likewise, UPS is making money on what they charge amazon or they wouldn't sign the contract.

And Amazon has no ownership of the Washington Post. Whoever told you that is completely full of unmitigated BS. I'll won't hold my breath while you try to find the ownership that isn't there.
Click to expand...

Ok the president, ceo, and founder of Amazon owns the Washington Post. Really now shill harder
 
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dvsman said:
1. Amazon has employees that are on food stamps
2. Amazon will accept payment from SNAP / food stamps

There is no correlation between one and two.

The basic premise of the article is assuming that the employees on foodstamps will buy from Amazon and thus Amazon would receive a double dip - essentially paying themselves.

If a person were on foodstamps, we can assume that price would be their primary priority. I've used Amazon Fresh / whatever it's called before and I can say that they ARE NOT the best PRICED grocery supplier and logic would dictate that they would not be the destination for price-conscious buyers.

About the only people ordering groceries from Amazon (or similar delivery services such as Peapod) are those with higher disposable income who just aren't as price conscious OR those physically unable to go grocery shopping, such as the aged / infirm or the physically handicapped.
Click to expand...

I believe the other point is that amazon is operating - while effectively paying no taxes through subsidies. Those taxes would normally go to supporting the snap and other govt programs. Seems like they are double dipping. I agree with you though. Doubtful that snap recipients can mail-order their food. Seems like their will be something that prevents this. Dont think they can even buy "HOT" food, I have seen the signs where I shop.
 
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