What a weird thing the modern Democratic Party is. You’ll recall that I’ve been talking about the instability of the left’s coalition for years. At the top of the pyramid are the plutocratic elites, disproportionately from the tech industry and those loyal to it, who have made out like bandits in the 21st century economy. Beneath them is the intersectional coalition of the perpetually aggrieved.
These groups never had much in common with one another. While the tech sector loves to promote how progressive it is, and indeed, even believes in the intersectional creed, that was never a guarantee that it was going to be safe from the mob’s wrath. Nothing ever is, but the tech sector was always going to be a target at some point. The disparity in wealth guaranteed that, and the rise of Bernie Sanders has brought more attention to that issue over the past few years, as opposed to merely the usual racial and sexual hysteria.
The two factions continued to coexist. Undoubtedly, their mutual revulsion of President Trump helped to keep them together.
Now, though, we’re beginning to see some cracks in the coalition.
Late in 2018, Amazon did a deal with New York City where it would build its “HQ2” building in Long Island City in exchange for $3 billion in tax incentives. This deal was approved by the city’s mayor, Bill de Blasio, and the governor of the state, Andrew Cuomo, neither of whom are known for being “centrist” or “moderate” by any means. Cuomo was once, but he’s now firmly in the “progressive” part of the Democratic Party.
“Progressive” is far from good enough for the mob these days, though. As soon as the deal was announced, the pressure campaign grew. The infamous Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the public face of the agitation. As usual, people in power underestimated her skill. The actual role she played in the administrative decisions was probably minor, but she got a lot of attention to the issue, and attention is importance.
At the root of it was a good point – why should a trillion-dollar multinational get $3 billion in tax incentives? Why should the richest man in the world get a tax break? Decent questions, but to get caught up in them is to miss the forest for the trees.
This was the first time where a battle between the interests of the tech overlords and the mob raged. The mob won. Amazon abandoned the New York City “HQ2” project.
It was interesting timing because this is the year where the 2020 election cycle will gear up (ugh). Since Trump won in 2016, we’ve seen a wave of censorship from the tech companies, which are cracking down on the crucial platforms where he and his supporters were able to spread his message. Many people have been deplatformed, shadowbanned, or have had their subscribers taken from them in the past two years. They’ve had their sources of funding cut.
In short, the approval of the tech sector is quickly becoming the mark of the beast. If you don’t have that mark, you can’t buy or sell.
What if the tech sector begins to conclude that the mob is no longer worth supporting? What if these clashes amp up and the tech overlords decide that encouraging the mob is now dangerous to their interests? Just call it a hunch, but I don’t think the “HQ2” episode in New York City is the end of a process. As the rush to the left continues with the Democratic primaries, “corporate greed” will be a bigger and bigger talking point. Remember – the left loves ideas and not people.
If things like the death of the Amazon HQ2 deal continue, there’s a good chance that the tech sector, no matter how much it might want to agree with the mob, decides that it can no longer support a movement that increasingly stands against its own interests. What the tech overlords are really interested in is in making out like bandits. The accumulation of power in their hands is a vital and dangerous issue, but a separate subject.
You can’t expect to have an angry mob of Jacobins on your side forever. Those that have cynically hoped to gain from Year Zero movements have always paid the price. The tech sector might well realize that coddling this generation of revolutionaries over the past decade has been a terrible mistake.
The way Howard Schultz has been treated is another example that corporate America in general might have to start rethinking its coddling of the mob.
And if that happens, perhaps the mob will in turn be censored and lose their sources of revenue. That would change the game a lot.
The timing is impeccable, as a weakening of the support of corporate America and especially the tech sector for the mob would significantly weaken their chances in 2020.
With the mob sure to get crazier and more aggressive by the day, there’s a good chance that the Democratic coalition could start to fall to pieces this way. Other pressures with its various victimhood groups might also exert themselves.
Pay close attention to this in the months ahead.
Stumped predicted 2016 to a T. Its predictions have only been confirmed since then. Read it to get an advanced playbook for 2020.
