California’s Proposition 40 would tax roughly 200 billionaires to fund health care for millions. Google cofounder Sergey Brin and friends have responded by inventing a new kind of pressure group: a lobby whose only client is the billionaire class itself.

A handful of billionaires led by Google cofounder Sergey Brin are out to prove that money can buy anything. They are pouring unprecedented resources into a political campaign to convince — or if that doesn’t work, to trick — California voters into prioritizing billionaires’ wealth over their own livelihoods.

The billionaires also enlisted the help of Governor Gavin Newsom. Shortly after chatting with Brin about the matter at a crypto mogul’s holiday party, Newsom took a stand against the billionaire tax, vowing he’d defeat the campaign one way or another. Following the lead of Newsom and billionaire donors, a handful of liberal nonprofits and labor unions came out against the billionaire tax as well, joining forces with Republicans and business groups to defeat it — all without an alternative plan to fund Medi-Cal once Trump’s cuts kick in next year.

So far, all these efforts have come to naught. The billionaire tax qualified by submitting over 1.6 million signatures, more than double the required number, becoming Proposition 40 on November’s ballot. It’s since been endorsed by the California Federation of Labor Unions and a host of other labor groups, the California Nurses Association, and recently the state Democratic Party. Now Brin and his billionaires must convince a majority of voters that closing hospitals, clinics, and emergency rooms is preferable to taxing billionaires who won’t miss the money.

  • farmgineer@nord.pubEnglish
    6·
    24 days ago

    If they’re so much better and more talented and worthy than everyone else, I’m sure they’d have no issue being stripped of all their assets, connections, property, money, etc. so they can prove how awesome and successful they are all over again.

  • crunchy@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    5·
    24 days ago

    The labor groups opposed to the measure include some of Sacramento’s most influential political players, including the California Teachers Association and other organizations representing law enforcement, carpenters, and builders. They’ve joined forces with pro-housing advocates and medical organizations like the California Primary Care Association, California Medical Association, and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California in their opposition.

    The labor opposition is all the more remarkable since the tax measure has been conceived and sponsored by SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West.

    Cops I’d expect. But teachers? Planned Parenthood? What’s going on here?