Tom Steyer can make California golden again

[marmar]

Tom Steyer can make California golden again
I loathe billionaires. But the former hedge fund manager could be a class traitor in the mold of FDR

By Jeff Cohen
Published May 6, 2026 10:30AM (EDT)


(Salon) As a progressive who watches too much television, when I see a Democratic candidate dominating the TV air war with ubiquitous campaign ads, I usually know that’s a Democrat I should oppose — the one being lavishly funded by wealthy corporate interests. And the ads are usually vapid and empty.

Living in California these past months, I’ve had to adjust my normal mindset. Because a Democrat who is running for governor and dominating the airwaves has put out one substantive ad after another, calling for taxing the wealthy, breaking up utility monopolies and standing up to Big Oil. Each ad could have been released by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders — like the one featuring California Rep. Ro Khanna talking about taking on the “big insurance companies” to pass universal “single-payer healthcare” for California. Or the candidate’s video message denouncing AIPAC, the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee — “they’re attacking progressive Democrats every chance they get” — and the Democratic Party establishment for “not talking more forcefully” against the Iran war.

The candidate putting out all these progressive ads is billionaire Tom Steyer, a former hedge fund manager turned environmental advocate who is now self-funding his campaign to the tune of $130 million — so far.

Let me be clear: I generally loathe billionaires, hedge-funders and everyone in the financial speculation elite. I remain skeptical that someone as wealthy as Steyer, who operated at the heights of amoral financialized capitalism, can deeply understand and fight for working-class interests. ......................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2026/05/06/tom-steyer-can-make-california-golden-again/

[Climate Crusader]

1. It's sad that a billionaire can do almost anything in this country, so when a billionaire chooses environmentalism...

...and public service, I think they at least deserve a look.

California will be an important state in coming years, a win could build momentum.

[Auggie]

2. I'd like it better had he held an elected position of some kind ...

should earn it by working up, not buying-in.

[usonian]

3. Is the word "again" Steyer's or Cohen's? There's a reason I ask.

California doesn't have to revert to some golden era, as the "Make America Great Again" refers to a golden era of racism, white supremacy, implicitly, but a mere 100%.

I prefer not to look back, to the days of Nixon, Reagan and Deukmejian. And Arnie? He didn't fuck the state so much as



Never AGAIN.

We don't have to go back, being the leading state in the country, and the 5th largest economy on earth.

Can it be done?



An open question.

I'll be checking candidates' stands on these AI bubble data centers.

It's my educated opinion that the migration of AI tools to desktop class machines (it's real and it's now) will crush the stratospheric growth rates needed to amortize these monster facilities, with a only handful of potential clients in business and (unfortunately) government like personal computers sent the vast majority of people off mainframe computers.

[Zorro]

4. Just received a Steyer mailer attacking Becerra

He's aiming his fire in the wrong direction, but guess he figures he's not going to change the minds of Hilton/Bianca supporters.

[msongs]

5. maybe governor hilton will offer him a job lol nt