Last week, I had the opportunity to visit Bernie Marcus, the renowned entrepreneur, generous benefactor, and staunch advocate of the free market, at his expansive residence in Boca Raton, Florida. Right from the start, he was candid about his sentiments.
"I’m in a particularly pissed-off mood," Marcus confided as we took our seats. "I’ve got a lot on my mind. This is going to be some interview."
I assured him that was precisely what I was anticipating.
Widely recognized as a co-founder of The Home Depot, Marcus, alongside financial expert Ken Langone and the astute Arthur Blank, built a corporation from the ground up that now provides employment for close to half a million individuals in a multitude of stores nationwide.
However, to fully appreciate Marcus's influence, one must look beyond the foundational narrative of The Home Depot. He is an outspoken billionaire and an ardent conservative campaigner, having his beginnings in a humble fourth-story tenement in Newark, New Jersey.
“We were poorer than you could imagine. And my ambition in those days was to make $25,000 a year and take care of my family.”
Marcus accomplished much more than the initial founding. Through Home Depot, he established a venture that now generates annual revenues of $150 billion, alongside creating tens of billions in wealth — with him earning several billion in personal fortune. He has donated a substantial portion of his wealth to charitable causes and to political figures he trusts will contribute to reversing the nation's slide towards what he perceives as nearly socialism.
Though Marcus stepped down from his role at Home Depot in 2002, retirement did not translate to idle days on a beach. He remains actively engaged, channeling funds into the campaigns of candidates who support free-market policies at both state and national levels. Over ten years ago, he founded the Job Creators Network, an organization that champions the interests of entrepreneurs and small business owners.
"Charlie, I’m 94 years old. Unfortunately, I have a 60-year-old brain, a 94-year-old body," he expressed amid our extensive conversation, clearly troubled by the thought that his time to engage in this crucial battle is waning. "I’ve said this to all of my friends, anybody who would listen: if this election goes the way the last one went, this country will be a Third World country."
He attributes many of the nation's problems to President Biden, who surpassed Bernie's associate, Donald Trump, in the 2020 election and seems poised to challenge Trump again in 2024. He disparages Biden as a "dunce" and criticizes him as the "most divisive president we’ve ever seen." He believes that Biden's reference to a large swath of the country as backward MAGA Republicans did not align with his stated objective to unify the nation.
Marcus is equally critical of what he sees as Biden's cognitive challenges, suggesting that the President is being manipulated ("somebody is feeding him like a puppet"). He also points to Biden's fiscal and policy missteps, which he argues have resulted in heightened inflation and a surge in national debt.
Trending Political News
'Walmart is Racist!' Woman on Motorized Scooter Gets Dragged Out by Cop
A black woman on a motorized scooter confronted a police officer at her local Walmart recently, telling him to "remove her from the store." When she began throwing Halloween candy and soda bottles at him, he responded by escorting her out. She subsequently accused the officer, who is white, and the store, of racial bias. The incident was captured on video and has since circulated online.
What an eventful visit to Walmart!
Costco Puts a Limit on Purchases After Quickly Selling Out of New Offering
Whenever Costco lists a certain shiny item for sale online, it's said to sell out rapidly. The wholesaler has made gold bars available on its website, allowing Costco members to invest in them.
"I've gotten a couple of calls that people have seen online that we've been selling one-ounce gold bars," Richard Galanti, Costco's chief financial officer, mentioned to investors in the retailer's fourth-quarter earnings call.
Tom Brady Takes Side in Conflict Between Hamas and Israel
Tom Brady has publicly expressed his stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, aligning himself with a pro-Israel perspective.
The iconic NFL player, anticipated to be a future Hall of Famer, has aligned his views with 12 other NFL teams, several team owners, presidents, and various athletes regarding the situation in Israel.
Naked Man in Seattle JCPenney Catches a Beat Down
In a suburb of Seattle, police have shed light on a video making rounds on the internet showing a nude man inside a JCPenney outlet.
"The individual depicted in the video was in mental crisis. Shortly after the video shared online ends, the individual had a serious medical emergency which necessitated the need for medics and transportation to the hospital," Tukwila Police Department said on Facebook.
Chipotle Responds to California's New $20 Fast Food Minimum Wage With Bad News to Customers
Executives from Chipotle have indicated that the company will "definitely" adjust its menu prices in response to California's upcoming fast-food minimum wage hike, despite posting strong third-quarter figures.
The new legislation, signed into effect by Governor Gavin Newsom, will see the hourly wages for fast-food employees in California rise to $20 by April 2024. The state's minimum wage currently stands at $15.50, with an expected increase to $16 come January. This is significantly higher than the national minimum wage, which is $7.25.
Woman Fired From Marketing Job After Boss Discovers Her Side Hustle
Yet another incident of an employer letting an employee go upon discovering their involvement in adult content on OnlyFans. This recent case occurred in Australia, just five days after content creator Annie Knight commenced her new marketing position.
At 26, Annie was at home, having taken a sick day, when she was informed through an email that her employment contract had been terminated. The basis for this decision? Her superior had learned about the OnlyFans account she had initiated a few years earlier.