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

missionlocal.org

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

#111

Post by refulgentis »

bpodgursky wrote: post #97
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…

If rich techies had too much influence in California, the state government would not look like what it does. I mean I just don't see how you get to this opinion after any real review of the evidence.

> I mean I just don't see how you get to this opinion after any real review of the evidence.

Graybeard here: took me a while to get it, but, usually these are chances to elucidate what is obvious to you :)* ex. I don't really know what you mean. What does the California state government look like if rich techies had even more influence? I can construct a facile version (lower taxes**) but assuredly you mean more than that to be taken so aback.

* Good Atlas Shrugged quote on this: "Contradictions do not exist. Whenever you think that you are facing a contradiction, check [ED: or share, if you've moseyed yourself into a discussion] your premises."

** It's not 100% clear politicians steered by California techies would lower taxes ad infinitum.

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

#112

Post by CodingJeebus »

limagnolia wrote: post #52
CodingJeebus wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

What is politics if not a means of exercising power? If there were no power in politics, no one would be interested in politics.

How does a government without power work? How do you take power out of the process of governing?

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

#113

Post by drecked »

terminalshort wrote: post #60
Analemma_ wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

So do you believe in democracy or not? And I do not mean this as a loaded question because the value of democracy is a legitimately arguable point. If the majority of Californians want caps on property tax, then I do not see a good argument that they should not get it that is also compatible with democracy.

Democracy != Direct voting.

It’s never meant that.

So people can “believe” in Democracy just fine and still think direct voting is bad.

Also, Democracy doesn’t even mean “if a majority of people believe X, therefore X”.

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

#114

Post by [deleted] »

terminalshort wrote: post #60
Analemma_ wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

So do you believe in democracy or not? And I do not mean this as a loaded question because the value of democracy is a legitimately arguable point. If the majority of Californians want caps on property tax, then I do not see a good argument that they should not get it that is also compatible with democracy.

[deleted]

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

#115

Post by terminalshort »

femiagbabiaka wrote: post #99
terminalshort wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are using a lot of obfuscated and loaded language. What, specifically, are the "excesses of the ultra-wealthy" that need to be reigned in? What do you mean by "personally intervened in U.S. congressional relations"?

I'm commenting on one such excess. Here is another: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/31/elon-musk-2026-elec... . The Nazification of X and federal subsidies for Elon's companies are another. There are many more examples. s/relations/elections/ -- because Elon et. al don't just intervene in the elections of the country they live in, but actually any country he's interested in -- and uses the U.S. as a bludgeon in…

How is Elon's editorial control of X something the government needs to (or even should have the power to) "reign in?" How is that not freedom of the press just like the owner of the New York Times having editorial control over his newspaper? Same goes for his donation to the PAC. What is the nefarious activity they are engaged in? Why are they not allowed to exercise their freedom of the press in the same way as any other company?

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

#116

Post by oulipo2 »

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…

Exactly.

We should tax billionaires away.

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

#117

Post by andy_ppp »

terminalshort wrote: post #78
xyst wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

System is broken af. Politicians don’t want to reign in on campaign financing because it will hurt their own re-election and campaign fundraising. Republicans have bought/installed the SCOTUS which allowed for favorable decision in Citizens United v FEC. This corporation dominated landscape is quite awful. Corporations have more rights than woman right now.

Citizens United was the correct decision. I don't understand how you can legitimately restrict political activity. The constitution contains the right to petition the government for redress of grievances. Why should certain groups of people not have this right? The constitution also contains the right to freedom of the press. Why should the government get to decide who gets to exercise this right?

Every other country on earth has spending limits, the constitution isn’t perfect and it’s being dismantled by the current regime. Maybe it could be updated to say covering up for pedo billionaires should carry extremely harsh sentences, for example…

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

#118

Post by BugsJustFindMe »

woah wrote: post #38

The Mission Local is a good source for hyperlocal Bay Area news, but it does have a strong SF leftist/progressive political tilt in most of its articles, and Gary Tan is a favorite boogieman for these types. Here's what they have to say about his malign influence in the article: > But the operation is also a media venture: Garry’s List started with a blog pillorying public-sector unions as “special interests,” attack…

> the proposed tax will do nothing more than push the extremely small and mobile group of billionaires to take their business elsewhere

This is often claimed but has yet to be shown to actually be true. Billionaires want to live in the nicest places with the best amenities just like everyone else.

But let's pretend for the moment that it is true. Good. Billionaires are not a net positive influence anywhere.

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

#119

Post by mothballed »

cjs_ac wrote: post #96
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.

Politics is about deciding who gets to exercise power and what they get to do with it. Politics detached from power is just pointless squabbling.

It's not, since voluntary transactions can happen as a result of said squabbling without resorting to the violence of 'power.' Maybe we need more of that and less of ramming decisions down the throats of the powerless.

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

#120

Post by amarcheschi »

CamperBob2 wrote: post #100
shimman wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everyone should hate people that believe in undemocratic principles.

Hot take: what has democracy done for us lately? Besides re-electing Donald Trump? If something can't go on forever, it will eventually stop. That applies to any system that gives stupid people the same political voice as the rest of the electorate. I mean, it seems kind of obvious, doesn't it?

Ask yourself which class can gain something by having trump as president rather than any other democrat

(it's not the working class)

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