John,

Decades of tax cuts for the rich have fueled the growth of billionaires and their wealth. And even in the midst of a global pandemic―the greatest national and international emergency since World War II―tax handouts to the wealthy have continued, most recently in the form of the $135 billion “Millionaires Giveaway” that was slipped into the CARES Act pandemic relief law by Senate Republicans.

New ATF research shows that while millions of Americans are experiencing the greatest economic downturn since the Great Depression―disproportionately impacting women and people of color―the nation’s billionaires have never had it so good.

During the three months of the pandemic, the nation’s 640-plus billionaires saw their wealth grow by $584 billion, or 20%.

Sign the petition to Congress demanding that the rich and corporations pay their fair share in taxes and that we use that money to address systemic racism and economic inequality.

Thank you for being a part of this critical movement for racial, social and economic change.

Andrea Haverdink
Digital Director
Americans for Tax Fairness

--Frank's email--

John,

Generations of racial bias in hiring and promotion, discriminatory lending practices and the shortchanging of families of color in access to quality and affordable public services has resulted in big gaps between the income and wealth of white Americans and those of Black and Latinx Americans.

And now, in the midst of a pandemic that’s resulted in 45.5 million jobs lost, 2.1 million Americans contracting COVID-19 and 118,000 people dying, communities of color continue to be disproportionately impacted.

Now, new ATF research shows that just as millions of Americans are struggling to pay rent and put food on the table, the nation’s 640-plus billionaires (overwhelmingly white men) saw their collective wealth increase by 20%, or $584 billion, as the coronavirus pandemic hit between March 18 and June 17.[1]

We demand that Congress act immediately to address income and wealth inequality by making the rich and corporations pay a much bigger, fairer share of taxes―and use that money to raise working-family incomes and improve healthcare, housing, education and other public services to begin addressing systemic racism that for so long has burdened communities of color. Sign the petition today >>>

During this same three-month period where the U.S. added 29 more billionaires, 27 million Americans are now at risk of losing their employer-sponsored healthcare coverage―again, disproportionately impacting low-wage workers, people of color and women.

So, as tens of millions of Americans are experiencing the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffett and Larry Ellison saw their wealth grow by a total of $101.7 billion.

This concentration of wealth shows how fundamentally flawed our economic system is.

Sign the petition and demand Congress make the rich and corporations pay their fair share in taxes and use that money to address systemic racism and economic inequality.

Thank you for taking action today,

Frank Clemente
Executive Director
Americans for Tax Fairness

[1] “3 Months Into Covid-19 Pandemic: Billionaires Boom as Middle Class Implodes,” Americans for Tax Fairness, June 18, 2020