This is a glimpse of how billionaires take pot shots at each other - on social media. This particular entertainment event comes courtesy of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
What began as The Washington Post's presidentiable advice to candidate Jeb Bush on how to pull ahead of the Republican bet became a sort of locking of horns. Trump did not take kindly to the recommendation that Bush should use negative publicity against him. So he did what Donald Trump would do: insult The Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos, diss Amazon as no-profit and slam The Washington Post as nothing more than a tax shield all in one breath - or thread. The salvos went this way:
Donald Trump begins: "The @washingtonpost, which loses a fortune, is owned by @JeffBezos for purposes of keeping taxes down at his no profit company, @amazon."
Netizens took notice and were quick to point out the disparity in the businessmen's profits. Jeff Bezos has an estimated worth of $59.4 billion and ranks fifth in the List of Billionaires released by Forbes. Trump's worth is $4 billion.
But, nevermind that Trump is many ranks below Bezos and that he is several billions behind, too. Trump doggedly pursues the thread of insults, "@washingtonpost is going out of its way to tell failing candidates how to beat Donald Trump.The Post doesn't get that I'm good at winning!"
He adds: "If @amazon ever had to pay fair taxes, its stock would crash and it would crumble like a paper bag. The @washingtonpost scam is saving it!"
"The @washingtonpost loses money (a deduction) and gives owner @JeffBezos power to screw public on low taxation of @Amazon! Big tax shelter"
With a flurry of retweets and twice more in likes, comments flew from followers and among them is one from a fake Donald Trump who says: "@realDonaldTrump @washingtonpost @JeffBezos @Amazon Never fear! When elected, I'll raise taxes on everyone but me and my friends."
To the delight of all followers of this segment, Bezos finally weighed in with his fourth tweet since joining Twitter in 2008 saying that he'll send Trump on a trip to outer space with a rocket from the Blue Origin aerospace company, which he also owned. He added a corresponding video for full effect.
"Finally trashed by @realDonaldTrump. Will still reserve him a seat on the Blue Origin rocket. #sendDonaldtospace"
Hashtag #sendDonaldtospace was a hit with followers approving and making their own suggestion on where to send Trump and to make certain that the trip to space was one-way.
Alipasha Sadri suggests: " @JeffBezos @realDonaldTrump @BadAstronomer Could you send him on a "test" flight? ...It would be a success either way"
Some like Matthew Hipple remind Bezos of a little snag in the plan: "Um... @JeffBezos, doesn't that rocket come back, though?"
Deirdré Straughan makes a popular request: "@JeffBezos Make it a one-way trip, please."
