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Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan launches dark-money group to influence CA politics

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Re: Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan launches dark-money group to influence CA politics

#41

Post by kadabra9 »

tw04 wrote: post #18
bhouston wrote: post #7

He is probably going after Ro Khanna, who comes across as a pretty decent rep (he and Massie got the Epstein files released): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ro_Khanna Based on this warning from Garry to Ro re: wealth tax https://finviz.com/news/277038/y-combinators-garry-tan-warns... So this appears to be all about the wealth tax and taken down anyone who supports it. AIPAC is also mad at Ro so it seems that Garry Tan…

Which would be hilarious if it weren’t so infuriating. All they can talk about is how they’re all going to leave the state if it happens, but then are more than willing to try to spend more stopping it than they would just contributing their fair share in taxes. Don’t like it? Great, leave - but stop trying to buy elections.

Everyone loves deciding what their "fair share" of other people's net worth (not even income!) is.

Sorry, but the state just confiscating 5% of someone's net worth (unrealized or not) is absolute madness, and rightfully opens up questions about slippery slope, how "temporary" they claim this to be, and so on.

It's not surprising they are leaving the state or using their resources to try to stop it.

Re: Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan launches dark-money group to influence CA politics

#42

Post by snihalani »

abtinf wrote: post #30
andy_ppp wrote: post #5

I think rich people have too much influence, I probably agree with Garry Tan on a lot but we need to get money out of politics. Let’s face it we’re all meant to get one vote but rich people spend money on this stuff so that they manipulate what and who can be voted for. I do think that if this current system is the result of democracy + the internet we need to seriously reconsider how democracy works because it’s cur…

> we need to get money out of politics. We need to get the power out of politics.

I wish we had direct voting on important decisions

Re: Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan launches dark-money group to influence CA politics

#43

Post by khuey »

bhouston wrote: post #7

He is probably going after Ro Khanna, who comes across as a pretty decent rep (he and Massie got the Epstein files released): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ro_Khanna Based on this warning from Garry to Ro re: wealth tax https://finviz.com/news/277038/y-combinators-garry-tan-warns... So this appears to be all about the wealth tax and taken down anyone who supports it. AIPAC is also mad at Ro so it seems that Garry Tan…

Ironically Ro Khanna was the tech backed candidate a decade ago when he ran against Mike Honda.

Re: Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan launches dark-money group to influence CA politics

#45

Post by CodingJeebus »

abtinf wrote: post #30
andy_ppp wrote: post #5

I think rich people have too much influence, I probably agree with Garry Tan on a lot but we need to get money out of politics. Let’s face it we’re all meant to get one vote but rich people spend money on this stuff so that they manipulate what and who can be voted for. I do think that if this current system is the result of democracy + the internet we need to seriously reconsider how democracy works because it’s cur…

> we need to get money out of politics. We need to get the power out of politics.

What is money if not a proxy of power? If money didn't buy power, no one would be interested in attaining billions in wealth.

Re: Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan launches dark-money group to influence CA politics

#46

Post by bhouston »

kadabra9 wrote: post #41
tw04 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which would be hilarious if it weren’t so infuriating. All they can talk about is how they’re all going to leave the state if it happens, but then are more than willing to try to spend more stopping it than they would just contributing their fair share in taxes. Don’t like it? Great, leave - but stop trying to buy elections.

Everyone loves deciding what their "fair share" of other people's net worth (not even income!) is. Sorry, but the state just confiscating 5% of someone's net worth (unrealized or not) is absolute madness, and rightfully opens up questions about slippery slope, how "temporary" they claim this to be, and so on. It's not surprising they are leaving the state or using their resources to try to stop it.

Your statement is ignoring the systematic growing inequality in the US between the ultra wealthy and everyone else. And the use of those funds to influence politics (because of Citizens United, etc) to create polices that benefit themselves - it is for the ultra wealthy a virtuous circle:

https://inequality.org/facts/wealth-inequality/

This is not a normal state of affairs.

Re: Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan launches dark-money group to influence CA politics

#47

Post by Daishiman »

abtinf wrote: post #30
andy_ppp wrote: post #5

I think rich people have too much influence, I probably agree with Garry Tan on a lot but we need to get money out of politics. Let’s face it we’re all meant to get one vote but rich people spend money on this stuff so that they manipulate what and who can be voted for. I do think that if this current system is the result of democracy + the internet we need to seriously reconsider how democracy works because it’s cur…

> we need to get money out of politics. We need to get the power out of politics.

Power exists whether you like it or not and when power gets away from decisionmaking you just generate a power vacuum.

Power needs to be placed in the hands of better decision-makers. That starts from getting money out of politics.

Re: Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan launches dark-money group to influence CA politics

#48

Post by Analemma_ »

snihalani wrote: post #42
abtinf wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> we need to get money out of politics. We need to get the power out of politics.

I wish we had direct voting on important decisions

Hell no, California has this and it’s a catastrophe. Prop 13 is one of the worst policies enacted by a democratic polity in the 20th century, and has been wrecking the state for decades.

Re: Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan launches dark-money group to influence CA politics

#49

Post by terminalshort »

CodingJeebus wrote: post #45
abtinf wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> we need to get money out of politics. We need to get the power out of politics.

What is money if not a proxy of power? If money didn't buy power, no one would be interested in attaining billions in wealth.

They are obviously related, but it is a very loose correlation. If a billionaire (who does not pay me) gives me an order I will laugh in his face. If a traffic cop gives me an order, I will comply.

Re: Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan launches dark-money group to influence CA politics

#50

Post by amarcheschi »

rasengan wrote: post #39

I don't know if I agree or not with his views, but the fact that he's moving from complaining about something, to doing something about his beliefs, has convinced me to move from a negative to a significantly positive view of him, as a person; to reiterate, regardless of whether I agree with said views. The will to fight for what one believes in - I think we can all agree that is an admirable human trait that would r…

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