The political pendulum swings back and forth, but one thing that never changes is society’s general hatred for billionaires and the ultra-rich. Right now, we’re seeing all the tech bros Trumping out, but that’s not surprising—most CEOs will cozy up to whoever is in power. The Republican Party is riding high for the moment, but their embrace of billionaires like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg will ultimately be their undoing. The Democratic Party may be in shambles right now, but the polling is clear: voters want a more combative approach to Trumpism. Democrats need to wake up.
The GOP is playing a dangerous game. DOGE might be a fun way to troll liberals online, but when billionaires start messing with real people’s jobs, wages, and retirement savings, the consequences get real. Voters are already making Republicans squirm at town halls, demanding to know how Trump’s tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy will be paid for without gutting Medicare and Medicaid. People may shrug off Trump’s buffoonery, but no one likes being lectured by a billionaire like Elon Musk about how the economy works. There’s a reason why Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren resonated with so many. The fight against bloodsucking billionaires is always a winning issue. They may not have broken through a Democratic primary, but the next person to carry that torch (maybe AOC?) will be in a prime position come 2028.
Trump, meanwhile, is already fading. He’s an old man who doesn’t care about the job. At this stage in his political life, he’s just a figurehead—a talking piece for a movement obsessed with hating immigrants and trans people, while his billionaire allies loot the country. He doesn’t even have to pretend to care about political consequences anymore—his name will never be on the ballot again. But the Republican Party, now fully shaped in his image, will be.
If Democrats don’t squander the opportunity, they have a real shot at reclaiming their status as the party of the working class. Every time Republicans and their billionaire friends make life harder for average Americans, conversations about things like paid family leave, universal pre-K, and even Universal Basic Income become more mainstream. We’re not there yet, but it won’t be long before more Americans realize that, yes, raising taxes on billionaires can help improve everyone’s quality of life.
Elon Musk should enjoy his time in the White House spotlight while he can, because it won’t last. The second Trump realizes Musk is dragging down his poll numbers, he’ll kick him to the curb. Because even Donald Trump knows the truth: billionaires will never be cool.
