this post was submitted on 18 Feb 2026
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — As national Democrats search for a unifying theme ahead of the fall’s midterm elections, a California proposal to levy a hefty tax on billionaires is turning some of the party’s leading figures into adversaries just when Democrats can least afford division from within.

Bernie Sanders will be in Los Angeles campaigning Wednesday for the tax proposal that has the Silicon Valley in an uproar, with tech titans are threatening to leave the state. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is among its outspoken opponents, warning that it could leave government finances in crisis and put the state at a competitive disadvantage nationally.

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[–] Archangel1313@lemmy.ca 57 points 1 month ago (2 children)

This is why Democrats will keep losing. Newsom stands up for the rich, while Bernie stands up for the rest of us. In the end, the DNC will choose Newsom as their candidate.

...and that's how we'll get JD Vance for president in 2028.

[–] crusa187@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Vance doesn’t have a chance bro, don’t worry about that.

Tucker Carlson and MTG, however…look out for those two. If/when the DNC anoint Newsom, they will join the race to trounce him.

[–] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Tucker, maybe, but not MTG. They would never vote for a woman. She might menstruate all over the nukes or something. I forget their exact reasoning.

[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 29 points 1 month ago (2 children)

My personal opinion is that these wealthy people are already a drain. They use all of the resources without paying back into the system. Why would anyone care if they leave?

The Billionaire Flight From Wealth Taxes Myth

Digging deeper into the economic literature on whether wealth taxes cause billionaire flight is extensive—and remarkably consistent. Across countries, time periods, data types and research methods: wealthy households are far less mobile than public debate suggests.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/teresaghilarducci/2025/12/29/do-wealth-taxes-really-make-billionaires-leave/

[–] crusa187@lemmy.ml 14 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They’re hardly taxed anyway, and for most of them leaving is 100% a bluff. The expense of actually uprooting is enormous for an established titan of industry, as your source alludes to.

Just fucking make them pay taxes already, this is ridiculous.

[–] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 1 month ago

The expense of actually uprooting is enormous

And even if it wasn't, it would be severely inconvenient. That's a MAJOR dealbreaker for the most pampered group of people in the world.

[–] Numinous_Ylem@lemmy.world 11 points 1 month ago

Exactly. Make em pay or make em leave. These people dont need to be coddled -- they need to be taxed out of existence

[–] circuitfarmer@lemmy.world 29 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Because Bernie Sanders is a progressive, and Gavin Newsom is a mainline Democrat. Mainline Democrats are not progressive, and they'll continue to lose because of it.

[–] thermal_shock@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

They're all bark, zero bite

[–] yonderbarn@lazysoci.al 14 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Does Newsom want to take an L before he's even officially launched his campaign?

[–] criscodisco@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

He’s taking L after L. When he was getting all the attention and praise for his blue MAGA rhetoric, I was telling people that were getting sucked up by it that they need to look into this dude, because he is NOT our ally. One of these people has a trans son. Now they are all saying “fuck that guy”.

[–] wizblizz@lemmy.world 13 points 1 month ago

Newsom tweets a big game but he's just a billionaire cuck like the rest of the neo libs. The alternative to the tax is not no tax, it should be the fucking guillotine.

[–] huquad@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 month ago

I read this as Bernie and Newsom being on the same side against taxing billionaires. Phew! Bernie still one of the few good guys