The campaign for senator Elizabeth Warren, one of the 2020 US presidential candidates, is ready to toast her tax plan. In a spirited display, the Warren campaign has begun selling coffee mugs emblazoned with the words “billionaire tears.” They’re reportedly one of her campaign’s best-selling items.
The campaign for senator Elizabeth Warren, one of the 2020 US presidential candidates, is ready to toast her tax plan. In a spirited display, the Warren campaign has begun selling coffee mugs emblazoned with the words “billionaire tears.” They’re reportedly one of her campaign’s best-selling items.
Running $25 apiece, the cups pay mocking tribute to the wealthiest Americans. An accompanying description explains: “In November 2019, billionaire and former Goldman Sachs on live television while discussing the prospect that a President Elizabeth Warren might require him to pay his fair share in taxes.” Delighting in Cooperman’s misery (he also bemoaned the ongoing ), the campaign invited buyers to grab a mug full of billionaire tears. “Savor a warm, slightly salty beverage of your choice…as you contemplate all the good a wealth tax could do,” the description continues.
Join 500,000+ readers who start their day with Quartz.
By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
The campaign added that a wealth tax—Warren has proposed a 2% annual tax on households worth $50 million or more, and a 6% annual tax on those worth $1 billion or more—could help fund universal free college and universal childcare, among other initiatives. Her campaign did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
But I wondered, what do billionaire tears taste like? And whose would I drink? If, like me, you find yourself parched, consider quenching your thirst with one of these varieties. And feel free to experiment with your own concoctions.
Jeff Bezos: Whole Foods asparagus water
Lloyd Blankfein: Slightly metallic
Michael Bloomberg: Late-arriving, bitter aftertaste
Warren Buffett: Coca-Cola $KO, with a hint of See’s Candies (surprisingly palatable)
Tim Cook: Sour apples (obviously)
Bill Gates: No taste
Elon Musk: Rocket fuel, with chewy bits of subterranean mud
Peter Thiel: Revenge
Mark Zuckerberg: Filtered, bubbly
