The article discusses a recent dinner meeting attended by 33 Silicon Valley executives and venture capitalists, including billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, who sought to influence President Trump on their preferred policies. Despite the apparent groveling to Trump, the piece argues that Big Tech and big business are benefiting from his presidency through low taxes and deregulation, ultimately at the expense of ordinary Americans.
The author highlights a specific policy shift where the Department of Transportation revoked a Biden-era rule aimed at increasing compensation for airline passengers facing cancellations or delays, which had never taken effect. This move, influenced by industry lobbying, is portrayed as a gift to corporations at the expense of consumer rights.
Other examples of Trump’s policies favoring the wealthy include proposed cuts to the IRS budget, which would reduce tax enforcement and hinder public tax filing initiatives, further benefiting tax preparation companies. Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission has rolled back a key Biden policy aimed at protecting workers from noncompete clauses, while Trump threatened tariffs against the EU for enforcing antitrust rules on companies like Google.
The article critiques Trump’s focus on urban issues and DEI, urging his political opponents to emphasize the economic challenges ordinary people face due to Trump’s allegiance to wealthy interests and the growing inequality.
