Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont erupted at a Fox Business correspondent Thursday, telling her during an exchange inside the Capitol, “I can yell as loud as you!”
On Thursday, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, which Sanders chairs, held a hearing on his proposal to have the standard workweek lowered to 32 hours, with no loss in pay, according to Fox Business. Sanders said that European nations have lowered their workweek, and it is time for America to do the same.
The Vermont independent was churning through a Senate hallway when he was stopped by a reporter Fox Business identified as Hillary Vaughn. After learning which network she worked for, Sanders paused.
“It seems like Democrats want businesses to be taxed more, pay their workers …” Vaughn began.
“Really? Is that what you think?” Sanders interjected aggressively, poking his hand in Vaughn’s face.
Sen. Bernie Sanders proposes 32-hour work week for the same pay | “Many of our people are exhausted.” pic.twitter.com/46RCTCUblK
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 14, 2024
“They pay their workers …” Vaughn tried again.
“Excuse me! Excuse me!” Sanders said, growing louder.
Do you think a 32-hour work week is wrong?
“I didn’t get to ask a question,” Vaughn said.
But Sanders was off to the races, ignoring Vaughn’s attempt to break in.
Bernie Sanders champions bill to create 32-hour work week without pay loss https://t.co/7YqGItiZR3 pic.twitter.com/6XexPwGxdE
— New York Post (@nypost) March 14, 2024
“OK thank you. You wanna. Hold it, OK. We held a hearing on a 32-hour work week because what we have seen is that over the last 50 years, despite a huge increase in worker productivity, almost all of the wealth has gone to the top 1 percent while 60 percent of the people living paycheck to paycheck. Many of our people are exhausted. We work the longest hours of any people in the industrialized world. I think it is time for a shortened work week.”
“Let me ask you a question about that. Seems like Democrats want businesses to be taxed more, pay their workers more, lower prices, and now pay people not to work,” Vaughn said.
“Really? That’s not my assumption. I don’t think so. You know what Democrats — you know what I would like to see?” Sanders said.
“I can yell as loud as you,” he said at one point as he again waved his hand in Vaughn’s face.
Why not a 24 hour workweek!? Equity demands it.
Maybe it should be 12, now that I think about it. And it should come with a 3-month all-paid vacation as well.
Make it a 6 month vacation, actually. https://t.co/Xl96FB5T4N
— Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) March 14, 2024
“How are businesses going to survive that? That’s the question. How can businesses survive that? How can businesses survive all of those proposals?” she asked.
“When Mr. Bezos pays an effective tax rate lower than the average worker, I think we have a real problem in our tax system. I think that billionaires have got to start paying their fair share of taxes. Thank you,” Sanders said.
Bernie Sanders is pushing for a 32-hour workweek! How can small businesses do that? The Democrats want to pay people for not working that 5th day. They tried it in Iceland and Japan and it didn’t work well.
— SisterK 2.0 😇❤️🇺🇸 (@SisterKay1112) March 14, 2024
In a news release on his website, Sanders said his proposal “is not a radical idea.
“Today, American workers are over 400 percent more productive than they were in the 1940s. And yet, millions of Americans are working longer hours for lower wages than they were decades ago. That has got to change,” he said.
“The financial gains from the major advancements in artificial intelligence, automation, and new technology must benefit the working class, not just corporate CEOs and wealthy stockholders on Wall Street. It is time to reduce the stress level in our country and allow Americans to enjoy a better quality of life. It is time for a 32-hour workweek with no loss in pay,” Sanders said.
