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DBoon

(24,771 posts)
46. Tech billionaires have contempt for everyone not in their class
Wed Jan 7, 2026, 06:16 PM
Jan 7

Tech billionaires also have contempt for democracy itself. They are outspoken about replacing it with an authoritarian oligarchy.

This tax offends them because it implies they should be subject to laws passed democratically by ordinary citizens. They would prefer to rule over us without restraint.

It's not the small amount they would pay that is at issue - they object to being held the least bit accountable accountable by citizens.

They say so openly and at length. Writings urging the replacement of democracy have been openly published. For example Marc Andreesen's "Techno-Optimist Manifesto" :

...By late 2023, Andreessen, formerly a supporter of the Democratic Party, was said to have grown politically disillusioned with the Biden administration due to the volatility in the technology space for venture capitalists. The new environment was attributed to the imposition of antitrust laws on the tech sector and a renewed push for regulation of cryptocurrency, a sector in which Andreessen Horowitz was deeply invested in as a firm. The added scrutiny given to the tech sector in the wake of the Bankman-Fried scandal was also a contributing factor to Andreessen's newfound thinking. According to The New York Times, Biden's proposed "billionaire minimum income tax" led Andreessen to shift his political alliances to the Trump campaign.[8] In October, Andreessen composed his thoughts and posted the "Techno-Optimist Manifesto" essay online.[13] Dwarkesh Patel, who had previously interviewed Andreessen at the beginning of the year, responded to the manifesto with criticism and counterarguments, leading Andreessen to permanently block Patel on Twitter.
...
The manifesto pays homage to the Manifesto of Futurism (1909) by Italian poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti (1876–1944), who would go on to co-author the Fascist Manifesto a decade later, which was used to describe the political platform of Benito Mussolini. In one part, Andreessen rewords Marinetti's manifesto[β] in the context of technology, writing "Beauty exists only in struggle. There is no masterpiece that has not an aggressive character. Technology must be a violent assault on the forces of the unknown, to force them to bow before man."[16] Andreessen ends the manifesto with a list of self-declared patron saints of techno-optimism, with Marinetti taking his place alongside philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, the fictional character of John Galt, and the neo-reactionary philosopher Nick Land, among others

- Wikipedia, with my bolding

Someone who openly admires Italians Futurists who were the backbone of Italian Fascism is not someone who will accept what we consider to be democracy, civil liberties, dues process and other traditional American values.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Na na na na hey hey goodbye! Ritabert Jan 7 #1
Well sheshe2 Jan 7 #2
All of the privileges of living in the US which helped him get so rich. Irish_Dem Jan 7 #3
This won't affect his federal taxes, only his state taxes Jose Garcia Jan 7 #13
ha. he probably doesn't pay federal taxes. Irish_Dem Jan 7 #15
Probably gets DiverDave Jan 8 #56
Yep subsidies from the US taxpayer. Irish_Dem Jan 8 #57
"It worked!" say Californians as they high-five eachother. Scrivener7 Jan 7 #4
Now Deleware should implement a billionaire tax. Good riddance, asshole. kysrsoze Jan 7 #5
Deleware should charge a wealth tax Puppyjive Jan 7 #6
Unlikely Deep State Witch Jan 7 #16
Corporate law is one of the major things that needs to be re-done if the US is ever BComplex Jan 7 #28
We money spending consumers bake the economic cookies, the rich eat most of them and leave us the crumbs. nt Exp Jan 7 #7
A wealth tax to fund healthcare Bayard Jan 7 #8
They should charge him a leaving tax Mr. Sparkle Jan 7 #9
LOL!! Brilliant!! BComplex Jan 7 #29
It's a double edged sword The Grand Illuminist Jan 7 #10
It's been working out well in Massachusetts, which actually has more millionaires now TheRickles Jan 7 #22
Totally different, not the same at all. Abolishinist Jan 8 #50
True, but they're both aiming for the same redistributive goals, though via different means. TheRickles Jan 8 #55
Regadless of when he left, if the wealth tax is approved he will have to pay because it is retroactive to 1/1/25 and in2herbs Jan 7 #11
The Constitution specifically prohibits states from passing retroactive laws Jose Garcia Jan 7 #14
With regards to criminal laws, yes, but not with regards to civil laws. See below: in2herbs Jan 7 #33
Good riddance. Martin68 Jan 7 #12
Killing the goose that lays the golden eggs The Mouth Jan 7 #17
Check the tax rates under Reagan Easterncedar Jan 7 #19
The problem is that the rich can just up and move The Mouth Jan 7 #47
That makes corporations sound like they are necessarily benefitting their State in kind. BComplex Jan 7 #30
The Laffer Curve was debunked long ago DBoon Jan 7 #43
Wealth is mobile The Mouth Jan 7 #48
The Laffer Curve proposed that lowering taxes creates overall economic prosperity DBoon Jan 8 #52
I didn't quote, or refer to the Laffer curve, that was someone else The Mouth Jan 8 #61
How fucking greedy can you get? Ray Bruns Jan 7 #18
These money-hoarders have an addiction to money. MLWR Jan 7 #20
I think the oldigarchs addiction to money and power is because they will soon be dead , afraid their power will wane, in2herbs Jan 7 #34
Not dead fast enough. diane in sf Jan 7 #38
I agree! nt in2herbs Jan 7 #39
It is game to the super rich SheLiberal Jan 7 #41
Welp Pas-de-Calais Jan 7 #21
Oh, boo, hoo, hoo... Pay your damn fair share... electric_blue68 Jan 7 #23
Thanks California for helping us become billionaires Smilo Jan 7 #24
Hahaha! One more billionaire mansion in Texas they can't sell. Joinfortmill Jan 7 #25
Isnt Gavin Newsome against this tax? Callie1979 Jan 7 #26
Ballot Analysis of Initiative 2025-024 quaint Jan 7 #27
Page moved, but the major companies of Alphabet haven't. CA may be a little tax poorer, but not enough to affect ancianita Jan 7 #31
If you sleep on someone's couch and you don't pay rent, you're a moocher. Initech Jan 8 #58
I hear you. ancianita Jan 8 #59
Link to text of initiative, California Secretary of State office GJGCA Jan 7 #32
The sun in California shines a bit brighter today Sweet Rosie Red Jan 7 #35
Bye, Felicia. QueerDuck Jan 7 #36
Welp lonely bird Jan 7 #37
The greed and selfishness of these people are beyond belief. Mebbe I'm wrong, but I don't think Larry is going to end up Fil1957 Jan 7 #40
You don't own California. You don't own the people of this state. DBoon Jan 7 #42
Come on! The man's gotta eat. Swede Jan 7 #44
Make these assholes pay! They can't keep mooching forever! Initech Jan 7 #45
Tech billionaires have contempt for everyone not in their class DBoon Jan 7 #46
Page is moving because, after the new tax, he'd ONLY have 256,500,000,000 dollars? LudwigPastorius Jan 8 #49
Bye RandySF Jan 8 #51
He SHOULD be shamed as one of the greediest men in the world by every lawmaker and every media outlet. Doodley Jan 8 #53
Good UpInArms Jan 8 #54
Instead of a wealth tax.... Happy Hoosier Jan 8 #60
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