Now is the not time for another billionaire President.
I don't care if it's a Reich Wing lunatic like our racist President, Donald J Trump. Of course, he may not be a real billionaire. That may be part of the con. But we can say at least - he plays one on TV, and he wants us to believe that he is.
I don't care whether it's a center-right figure like Micael Bloomberg. He's worth probably the combined wealth of all the Presidents we've had combined. He owns a huge media conglomeration and has the money and broadcast megaphone to drown out anyone else in the world. Well, except maybe Jeff Bezos is worth about $150 billion. And guess what? Jeff Bezos encouraged Michael Bloomberg to run. Think about that.
I don't even care if it's progressive Tom Steyer, who's politics are close to mine. He's still a billionaire. He still sends the wrong message about what we can do to fix our system.
Why do you not want a billionaire President, Tom? Isn't this a free country where anybody can run? Don't you want somebody who was able to succeed that much in our system run our system?
Well, no, I don't.
Here are some of the reasons why -
Being a Billionaire is not a matching skill set with running a government
There is nothing about being rich that translates into being a good President. It is an entirely different skill set. Billionaires are used to people following what they order. Their command (presumably lawful commands, unless, of course, you're Trump or a coal baron), are followed without question. That's not how government works. It is an intricate dance of checks and balances that most billionaires do not have to consider.
Running a business does not translate into running a business.
We've had some very wealthy people run the government. But they have come from people who have accumulated years of public service, such as Franklin Roosevelt and John Kennedy. John Kerry and Mitt Romney, major party nominees who did not win, also follow that pattern.
The only billionaire with government experience that would pass this first standard is Michael Bloomberg, who is Mayor of one of the largest cities in the world, New York City.
So, just from the first reason, we're down to one eligible billionaire.
Our campaign finance system is broken
Should anyone be able to run for President? Sure. Even billionaires should be, although I would urge every thinking person to not vote for them.
Our campaign finance system is broken in this country. Money talks. Way too loud. And to have candidates who can drown others with their personal wealth seems very wrong.
Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have shown that it is possible to run a campaign on small-dollar donations. They do not accept corporate and PAC money. But even they would be drowned out by the avalanche of money that Michael Bloomberg could spend just from his own personal wealth. Not to mention owning one of the most gigantic media megaphones. And by that, I mean Bloomberg News. Sycophants like MSNBC's Joe Scarborough and Chuck Todd are just extra bonuses.
As long as the campaign finance system is broken, and politics are fueled by wealthy donors and large corporations, none of the basic problems are going to be solved in this country (climate change, universal health care, gun reform measures, tax code favoring the rich, etc.).
It is possible that some billionaire could defy their own personal interest and support changes that would fix the campaign finance system. Tom Steyer might do that, so he could pass this test.
Michael Bloomberg, however, fails this test super big time.
Income Equality is one of the most significant issues of our lifetime
The gap between rich and poor in this country is growing wider and wider. Electing a billionaire does not help solve this; it exacerbates this.
This increase has been happening under both Republican and Democratic Presidents. We have systematic problems that need to be addressed.
This gap, which includes the diminution and insecurity of the middle class, has been suer-fueled by the Trump administration. The income tax reform has led to many wealthy people and large corporations paying a lower percentage of tax than many in the middle class. The rich get rich, the middle class treads water, and the poor get more isolated, vilified, and desperate. One of the great crimes of our present times is those in the privileged class encouraging the working poor to target minorities, the poor, and immigrants for their declining economic status, rather than those who are really responsible.
In this regard, even the best-intended billionaire sends the wrong message. Tom Steyer's heart may be in the right place, but there's nothing that he could do that Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders couldn't do better.
And we need to be clear as to why Michael Bloomberg is coming into the race. It's not because of gun control. It's not to check climate change. He's coming in because he fears that a Corporate/Centrist Democrat will not win the race. He sees that Biden is not taking a commanding lead and that the combined Warren/Sanders vote is enough to overwhelm him. And why does he fear the progressive wing of the Democratic Party so much?
Because they might increase his taxation in some marginal way. The wealth tax, that little 2% ta on wealth that Warren talks about, one that would barely put a slight dent in his holdings, has him and Bezos and Gates and Zuckerberg shaking in their boots.
He's not running to benefit this country. He's running to preserve the wealth and privilege of his class.
Why the wealth tax is a good idea, and why it is vital to correct tax code inequities, is a discussion for another post. I've addressed this before, but if people want, I can address it again. But not here. These get too long, and people wander away. Heck, I don't even know if very many of you made it this far.
There are other reasons as well why should not elect a billionaire President, but the ones mentioned here are the ones topmost in my mind.
Christian Reich extremist? Go back Mike Pence or Mike Huckabee or someone similar.
Trumpeteer? Got no real answer for you. Ted Cruz or Lindsay Graham, maybe? I don't know. If you're still with Trump, I don't know what to say about you or how to help you?
Rock ribbed Republican? Promote people like Mitt Romney and John Kasich. I know. Romney is rich, but he's had a lifetime of government service, and I'm not sure he's a billionaire.
Centrist/Corporate Democrat? You got Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar, among others.
Progressives? Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are right in your sweet spot.
Whatever you do, don't be swayed by the smell of money.
Pease. I'm begging you.
No more billionaire Presidents.
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