this post was submitted on 26 Jun 2026
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom called for a nationwide tax on billionaires as part of a broader “economic reset for America.”

Newsom, who is considered to be a 2028 presidential contender, also reiterated his opposition to a state-level wealth tax that Californians will vote on in November.

He also called for creating a “national public equity fund” to help “ensure every American owns a stake in the future being built by AI.”

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[–] Hayduke@lemmy.world 112 points 2 months ago (8 children)

I believe, and this is as diplomatic as I care to be, that he is perhaps concerned with billionaires fleeing the state and that a national approach could prevent that.

On the other hand it is more likely that his resistance to the CA tax and cheerleading of a national approach is purely performative as it will simply not happen at that scale, so that his pseudo-progressive veneer isn’t stripped away.

[–] WatDabney@lemmy.dbzer0.com 72 points 2 months ago (4 children)

On the other hand it is more likely that his resistance to the CA tax and cheerleading of a national approach is purely performative as it will simply not happen at that scale

I think that's more likely

That's really pretty standard Democrat fake leftist strategy - only openly advocate for a leftist proposal when there's no chance that it'll pass.

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[–] nao@sh.itjust.works 17 points 2 months ago (1 children)

that he is perhaps concerned with billionaires fleeing the state

If they are not paying taxes anyway, why would that even matter?

[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 14 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It’s not that they are providing $0 in tax income, it’s that it’s nearly 0%. It’s still a chunk of change.

I’ve heard that we wouldn’t feel the impact for 25 years.

Even so, kick them out. They can live in beautiful Houston Texas, or sunny Arkansas. Or maybe they will decide paying up is worth the cost of being a resident of California

[–] theuniqueone@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Except evidence doesn't support mass flight of the rich with higher taxes anyway.

[–] stringere@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

It's all bluster. When you have households and businesses both supported by dozens to hundreds of employees you can't simply sell your house and buy a new one. You'd need all new staff to cater to your needs, would have to get new business licensing and real estate for your businesses to move, there's just a whole lot more than pulling up stakes and moving state when you're a fat ass dragon sitting on a hoard of stolen gold.

[–] fartographer@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago

"I can't tax billionaires in California, because they'd leave California"

"I can't tax billionaires nationally, because they'd leave the nation"

"I can't tax billionaires globally, because they'd leave the planet"

There will never be a finish line in front of which these billionaire-class guardians won't shuffle their feet, nor a goalpost that they won't carry further. It's some real "I'll release my taxes after I get elected" energy.

[–] aramis87@fedia.io 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

We don't even need a billionaire's tax for an "economic reset". I mean, we do because it's not healthy for our economy or our political system. But what will happen with a billionaire's tax? The money will just go to the government, which will spend it in arcane ways that the average person has little visibility or voice on.

What we need is an increase to the minimum wage to whatever it would've been if it hadn't been consistently frozen and re-frozen and with mandatory CoLA, universal healthcare, repeal of Citizens United, repeal of whatever decision it was that said a company's ultimate responsibility is to shareholders, a breakup of a whole bunch of overweighted conglomerates, a breakup of media empires, a ban on "entertainment" masquerading as "news", a reform of the Supreme Court, vetc. There's a whole bunch of other stuff as well. But there's a whole bunch of stuff that could get accomplished without a billionaire's tax.

[–] Triasha@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

Taxing billionaires would benefit regular people even if the government burned the money. Or buried it. It would reduce the price of assets, like housing, and make them more affordable for regular people.

Sure, it would be better spend the money on healthcare or infrastructure, but even if we just subsidized the underwater basketweaving industry, we would still be better off.

[–] nialv7@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

once he become president he is going to champion a world billionaire tax and say no to a national one.

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

he is perhaps concerned with billionaires fleeing the state and that a national approach could prevent that

Not sure about his motivations, but we absolutely cannot be playing states off of one another to see who can bend over the hardest for the Epstein Class.

Fuck that noise.

[–] SinningStromgald@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

On the other hand it is more likely that his resistance to the CA tax and cheerleading of a national approach is purely performative as it will simply not happen at that scale, so that his pseudo-progressive veneer isn’t stripped away.

The idiots, aka 99%of voters, will only remember him promoting the national billionaire tax.

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

My thoughts exactly

[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 69 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

wasn't this asshole against the billionaire tax in California?

[–] CorrectAlias@piefed.blahaj.zone 76 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Yes, but then he realized that showing his whole ass before his presidential campaign/election was a bad strategy. He's in damage control mode. If elected, I'm sure he'll flip back to not wanting it again.

[–] neidu3@sh.itjust.works 45 points 2 months ago

"Now is not the time. We have more important matters to focus on"

Gets nothing done regarding any of those matters.

[–] bigbangdangler@reddthat.com 12 points 2 months ago

He's an opportunist first and everything else second. Flip flopping is kind of what he does.

[–] theuniqueone@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 months ago

He flips flops all the time I only trust his actions which are very much not good.

[–] Triasha@lemmy.world 25 points 2 months ago

What an absolute fucking snake. He's been opposing the billionaires tax in Cali and now he wants to say it should be national where there is no chance of passage?

Fuck this guy.

[–] vladmech@lemmy.world 25 points 2 months ago

So he’s against the state level one that actually has a chance of passing, but for a national one that has zero chance, neat.

[–] Pacattack57@lemmy.world 18 points 2 months ago

Too little too late for Newsome. He’s had plenty of years to talk up a rich tax. Dude is capitalizing on the rhetoric. Like thanks but no thanks bud. We don’t need a yes man. Need someone with actual ideals

[–] madcaesar@lemmy.world 18 points 2 months ago

This asshole brought on Sharpio and other right wing grifters to agree with on his podcast but won't talk to real leftists.

I've totally soured on his bullshit. It's all just an intern clapping back at Trump in Twitter, otherwise this is just Hillary Clinton in a man's body.

Business corporate Democrat to the core.

[–] AshMan85@lemmy.world 15 points 2 months ago

He is a 2 faced centrist, family friends with Pelosi. He wont do it.

[–] chilicheeselies@lemmy.world 14 points 2 months ago

How brave to insist one something he can't deliver until after he is voted in as pres. I'd be more inclined to believe him if he actually supported the CA wealth tax

[–] Furbag@pawb.social 13 points 2 months ago

Californians are proposing a billionaire tax and he promised to veto it.

Also, we don't want a stake in AI. We want to burn it to the fucking ground because it's ruining everything right now.

Newsom is such a duplicitous motherfucker.

[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 13 points 2 months ago

It's all a smokescreen. He's not proposing a national wealth tax, just another minimum income tax. Which they won't care about because they don't earn significant income.

Newsom said he supports “a true minimum tax on billionaires — a modern Buffett Rule — that ensures the people at the very top pay at least the tax rate their own workers pay.”

[–] kreskin@lemmy.world 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Crushes it in his state and then pretends to support it nationally. All with what time he has to spare from praising Israel, of course.

[–] billwashere@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

Because he knew it would pass in California but likely fail nationwide.

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 12 points 2 months ago

I don’t want any stake in the future being built by AI because I don’t want the future being built by AI

[–] farmgineer@nord.pub 10 points 2 months ago

Yeah, you're not gonna get your credibility with me back, bud.

[–] YtA4QCam2A9j7EfTgHrH@infosec.pub 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I think Gaven Newsom should have all of his possessions thrown away.

[–] toomanypancakes@crazypeople.online 8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I think Gavin Newsome should stub both his little toes, one after the other.

[–] nullroot@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago

I don't believe this asshole.

[–] nullspace@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago

What stands in their way is the federal tax code, a corporate code, and an inheritance code

Not that Prop 13 is Newsom's doing, but it's kind of rich hearing that from the governor of a feudal state with landed gentry. For those not in the know, Prop 13 allows a person to buy a house and pay a low property tax for the duration of their ownership. This low rate is reset when selling the house, but it is transferable to offspring. It's an actual law that creates a class of property-owning elite. The kind of NIMBYs who pay nothing to their community while voting down new housing or anything else that would threaten their property value.

[–] IcePee@lemmy.beru.co 6 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Fine words, but does he have the credibility to back it up?

[–] theunknownmuncher@lemmy.world 14 points 2 months ago

He does not

[–] theuniqueone@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 months ago

Nope while his actions prove he won't actually go for it.

[–] f1error@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

This bowl of fuckwit oatmeal is going to be the DNC nominee for prez, isn't he? We are soooo fucked!

Can someone just nuke us or slam a gigantic meteorite into us? Just end it already, I'm tired of suffering under these fools and mouth-breathers.

[–] HurricaneLiz@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Asteroid availability scan complete: one can be hurled your way now, will you be home to sign for delivery in 16 million years?

😂🤷🏻‍♀️

[–] RizzRustbolt@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

Couldn't even win Florida wearing those flip-flops.

[–] theuniqueone@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 months ago

While he fights against any "economic justice" in California, I trust his actions more than talk.

[–] xSikes@feddit.online 2 points 2 months ago

Dude is late to the party. Always is always will. I don’t true him to be true, he’s a reactive clown. Great twitter but he’s too center and that what we are going to see in this, it’s going to be half ass.

[–] Etterra@discuss.online 2 points 2 months ago

Millionaires too, but we can start with the billionaires and up. It would be nice if we could replace capital gains with a system that actually taxes their assets rather than what they get when they sell those assets, but that'll never fucking happen

[–] mattyroses@lemmy.today 1 points 2 months ago

So, think they'll use THE PARLIAMENTARIAN excuse again for this one, if they can't avoid winning congress?

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 1 points 2 months ago
[–] Mulligrubs@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago

Trump~ "No more wars!"

Biden~ "Higher minimum wage!"

Trump~ "I will build a wall!"

Obama~ "Universal healthcare!"

Bush~ "Christ is in my heart!"

Clinton~ "Universal healthcare!"