Sergey Brin Moves to the Right, with a 'MAGA Girlfriend' by His Side

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/27/us/politics/sergey-brin-gg-soto-trump-california-billionaire-tax.html

by carabiner • 3 months ago

58 17 3 months ago

bell-cot• 3 months ago

After once backing liberal causes, the Google co-founder has praised President Trump, donated to Republicans and spent $57 million to try to block a California billionaire tax.

"Don't be evil" was a long time ago in a Googleplex far, far away.

When Performative Activism and Praising the King are opposing strategies, the Smart Money decides after comparing the RoI's.

How many of the world's top (say) 50 "liberal" billionaire support special taxes on billionaires?

skilled• 3 months ago

https://archive.is/9n5Ow

1attice• 3 months ago

Class capture. RIP Sergey

danny_codes• 3 months ago

Asked for comment on this article, Mr. Brin said in a rare statement: “I fled socialism with my family in 1979 and know the devastating, oppressive society it created in the Soviet Union. I don’t want California to end up in the same place.”

He must be confusing socialism and communism. Presumably not a mistake. But embarrassing nonetheless. I suppose the gullible among us may be convinced

tim-tday• 3 months ago

Suddenly paying taxes is socialism.

stavros• 3 months ago

You can read that quote as "I fled totalitarianism with my family in 1979 and I know the massive benefits it brings for those of us at the top".

UncleMeat• 3 months ago

"Communist authoritarianism is when small wealth tax on billionaires."

aggakake• 3 months ago

What an absolute shame, and a fantastic example of the corrupting power of money.

manoDev• 3 months ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand-kissing#Kissing_the_ring

jacquesm• 3 months ago

You'd think that Brin would know the difference between Soviet Russia and socialism. Money sure doesn't seem to make people smarter. Anyway, I really don't understand why he is trying to justify his choice in this awkward and clearly dumb way when there is a much more straightforward explanation that will do just fine.

casey2• 3 months ago

Can't think of a better time to go MAGA than right now. Buy the dip!

moneycantbuy3• 3 months ago

He would have only $259,000,000,000 after the 5% tax.

moneycantbuy3• 3 months ago

who's flagging every article about Sergey's endless greed? why not comment instead if you're for it?

carabiner2• 3 months ago

Yeah this is annoying. Ten years ago hearing of Google cofounder turning right wing would sound like hell freezing over. I think this is deeply interesting to see how tech has been captured by big money politics like every other industry.

tim333• 3 months ago

I didn't flag but I'm not sure the voting intentions of famous people are really what HN is about.

Sergey Brin Moves to the Right, with a 'MAGA Girlfriend' by His Side

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