Derik Kauffman, founder of the AI startup RunRL, called the first AI march in San Francisco. In part, he wanted to display muscular support for California’s 186 (and counting!) billionaires. Kauffman, a non-billionaire, clearly on fire, made a spirited, emotional case for why the Billionaire Tax Act should not be allowed to pass. This proposed ballot measure would have slapped a one-time 5% tax on the total wealth of Californians with a net worth over $1 billion.
The march, held on recently, was intended to call attention to the Billionaire Tax Act’s possible consequences. The controversial proposed state ballot measure has generated impressive grassroots opposition and national criticism from business, academic, and legal circles. Governor Gavin Newsom has said unequivocally that he will veto the act if it gets to his desk. Kauffman figured they might get a few dozen people to attend. San Francisco Chronicle’s warm coverage of the event said it drew about three dozen people.
Marchers expressed their sentiments through signs with messages such as “We ❤️ You Jeffrey Bezos” and “It’s very difficult to write a nuanced argument on a sign.” Though the air was palpably charged, it wasn’t a monolithic front. Three dozen counter-protesters greeted the march with their own signs and colorful messages.
President Kauffman stated his strong opposition to the proposed dangerous tax, stressing the need to educate the public about what the tax would do. He remarked on California’s health care policies, stating, “California is, I believe, the only state to give health insurance to people who come into the country illegally. I think we probably should not be providing that.” His comments clearly usher in a larger, much more important discussion about the state’s hostile policies toward undocumented immigrants. Perhaps most remarkably, fourteen other states have extended health care access to this population too.
The march presented an incredible display of grassroots advocacy that would make any billionaire envious. It created a space for challenging the prevailing discussion around statewide economic policy and their effects on the people living in California. Kauffman, not a member of California’s gilded class, mounted a fearless defense of their interests. He found broad support for his defense against what is widely viewed as punitive taxation.