A few months ago, when the government's tariffs under the IEEPA were still in effect, President Donald Trump raised the possibility of eliminating the income tax on revenue generated by imports. Today, a new relevant figure in the country's economy, Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, proposed during an interview that a sector of American society should not pay federal taxes on their income.

During an interview on CNBC, Bezos assured that those who earn the least should not send money to the federal government. The Amazon owner noted that the lowest-income half of taxpayers currently contribute about 3% of federal income taxes, and he believes that figure should disappear completely.

"I don't think it should be 3%. I think it should be zero," Bezos declared during CNBC's "Squawk Box."

The businessman explained that eliminating this tax burden could help workers and families who live under constant financial pressure. As an example, he mentioned a nurse from Queens who makes about $75,000 a year.

“We shouldn't ask this nurse from Queens to send money to Washington,” Bezos said. "They should send him an apology. It really doesn't make sense."

According to data from the Tax Foundation, an organization specialized in tax policy that uses statistics from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the bottom half of taxpayers recorded income close to $54,000 in 2023. In contrast, the richest 1% earned at least $676,000 annually.

Currently, the federal tax system in the United States works on a progressive basis, meaning that higher earners pay higher rates. According to the Tax Foundation, the top 1% contribute about 40% of all federal income taxes. Despite this, some sectors believe that billionaires continue to pay less than they should thanks to legal loopholes and complex tax strategies.

Meanwhile, several Democratic lawmakers have pushed proposals to increase taxes on large fortunes. Senator Elizabeth Warren recently presented a bill to create new taxes aimed at billionaires and high net worth individuals.

On the other hand, Senator Cory Booker proposed the so-called “Keep Your Pay” Act, which seeks to eliminate taxes on the first $75,000 for families filing joint returns.

“Eliminating the income tax on the first $75,000 that families earn would be a game-changer for working people,” Booker said in a statement. “This tax cut would immediately put more money in their pockets.”

Bezos also related his proposal to the possibility of promoting new entrepreneurs. As he explained, reducing tax pressure could allow more people to take risks and build their own businesses.

“Maybe they will become the next Steve Jobs,” Bezos said, referring to the late Apple co-founder.

The debate comes as the U.S. economy shows increasingly stark differences between the wealthy and low- and middle-income workers. Economists describe this phenomenon as a “K-shaped economy,” where some households continue to accumulate wealth through investments and financial markets, while others face difficulties in covering basic expenses.

Additionally, the recent rise in gas prices and inflation continues to hit those with lower incomes hardest as they spend more of their money on transportation and essential needs.

“I think what's happening is that this is kind of a tale of two economies: On the one hand, there are a lot of people in this country who are doing very well, but there are also a lot of people who are struggling,” Bezos said.

It is clear that the statements of the founder of Amazon are not a formal proposal, much less an initiative that will reach Congress; However, the force of Bezos' words can shake the political leadership so that there is at least a discussion about it. We will see if the ears of legislators listen to them for the benefit of millions of workers.

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