'Nobody works, nobody gives a damn' anymore due to 'socialism,' said the 93-year-old co-founder of Home Depot
Bernie Marcus, a 93-year-old co-founder of Home Depot, sparked controversy in a recent interview when he claimed that “nobody works anymore.”
Wouldn’t survive today
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The billionaire added that Home Depot, if founded today, would not be a success.
He is supporting the Republican party
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At the same time, it has been revealed that Marcus spent nearly 64 million dollars supporting the Republican party, primarily Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and Senator John McCain.
Marcus blamed everything on “socialism”
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The retired businessman talked to Financial Times and expressed his views on today’s working force.
While blaming changes on “socialism,” Marcus explained how he viewed today’s society.
“I don’t want to work”
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“‘Just give it to me. Send me money. I don’t want to work — I’m too lazy, I’m too fat, I’m too stupid.'”
These claims come at a time when the US unemployment rate is at 3.7%, the lowest in decades.
Home Depot Worth 321 Billion USD
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Home Depot was founded in 1978, and it now has over 2300 stores across the US and Canada. Its estimated worth is around 321 billion dollars.
Marcus’ support for Republicans meant troubles for Home Depot
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One of the most successful companies came under the line of fire after Marcus publicly supported Trump during the 2016 elections. Many called for a boycott, so Home Depot had to issue a statement distancing themselves from the co-founder. It read:
“Our co-founder Bernie Marcus left The Home Depot more than 20 years ago, and his views do not represent the company.”
Since the 70s, Marcus donated around 64 million USD to Republicans
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Business Insider obtained that since 1978, Home Depot’s co-founder gave around 64 million to the Republican party.
This includes supporting presidential campaigns for Trump, McCain, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, and Mitt Romney.
Bernie Marcus donated to many Republican lawmakers
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The Atlanta-based billionaire also donated to House and Senate races. He contributed to many Republican lawmakers, including Senators Tom Cotton, Mike Lee, Mitch McConnell, Tim Scott, Chuck Grassley, and Representatives Kevin McCarthy and Liz Cheney.
Marcus Was One of the biggest Trump supporters in 2016 and 2020
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In 2020, Marcus made two separate donations of 5 million USD each to the Preserve America PAC, a single-candidate PAC that supports Trump.
Four years prior, in 2016, he made two contributions, one for 3 million and one for 2 million USD, to Rebuilding America Now, a super PAC launched to support Trump’s campaign.
He donated a total of 9.9 million USD to support Trump
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During the mid-terms, Marcus and his wife, Billi Wilma, allegedly donated 7.9 million USD to the Trump administration.
He also gave another 2 million USD to Making America Number 1, another pro-Trump political action committee.
Marcus and his wife want to give away their fortune
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In 2010, Marcus and his wife pledged to give away most of their estimated nearly 9 billion USD fortune.
The couple signed The Giving Pledge, meaning they would donate most of their wealth to charitable causes.
Marcus Foundation
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Marcus was Home Depot’s first CEO and chairman until retiring in 2002. He is also well known for philanthropy, as he founded the Marcus Foundation, which focuses on children, medical research, enterprise, veterans, Israeli causes, and the community.
