Equity What founders need to know about tech’s growing influence in D.C.
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May 28, 2025 Daniel Weiner, Director of the Brennan Center’s Elections and Government Program, dives into the growing influence of tech in Washington. He discusses how companies like SpaceX and Palantir have utilized insider networks for major defense contracts. The conversation also addresses changing ethics safeguards for founders, revealing their implications for fair competition. Weiner highlights the complex relationship between tech entrepreneurs and government, emphasizing the need for awareness of governance intricacies and the risks of a tech-centric approach to democracy.
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Tech Elite's Unique Washington Influence
- Wealthy tech leaders exercise influence in Washington like previous elite industries but with unique digital-age dominance.
- Unlike past eras, these figures now have direct governmental roles and shape public discourse through major platforms.
Transaction Meets Tech in Politics
- The Trump administration embraced a transactional governing style making tech's influence more direct and overt.
- Big technological shifts create an open policy battlefield attracting powerful interests to shape foundational tech laws.
Tech Billionaires Shape Governance Vision
- Tech billionaires influence government not just for profit but to push their preferred governance model.
- Wealthiest tech figures want government to mirror their organizational and problem-solving approaches.