The Presidential Candidates from Uber

Tim Walz wasn't so liberal after all

Through a coincidence, I discovered something interesting about Minnesota Governor and former Vice-Presidential candidate Tim Walz. During the discussion about whom Kamala Harris should choose as her running mate, Walz was depicted as the liberal choice against Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro. It turns out Walz wasn't a liberal at all -- at least in the pre-identity politics meaning of the term.

In May 2023, the Minnesota House and Senate passed a bill that would have provided minimum compensation rates for Uber and Lyft drivers and given them a right to appeal their "deactivation," that is, firing. Walz vetoed the bill, claiming it would unduly raised costs for consumers.

Perhaps, Walz's defense of the rideshare companies appealed to Harris. One of Harris's chief advisors during her presidential campaign (who also had a role in selecting her vice presidential nominee) was her brother-in-law Tony West, who was on leave during the campaign as Uber's Chief Council and Vice President.

One of the members of what the Washington Post described as Harris's "inner circle" before and during the campaign was California Senate appointee Laphonza Butler. Butler lobbied in 2019-2020 for Uber in California when it was battling drivers who wanted to be recognized as employees (with benefits) rather than as independent contractors. In 2020, Uber and Lyft spent millions supporting a referendum that overturned a California law that would have granted employee status to their drivers.

What's the point of this? The California bill that was overturned was an important effort to prevent companies from exploiting a new and growing group of "gig workers." So, too, I learned, was the Minnesota bill that Walz vetoed. Harris and Walz, it turns out, were the candidates from Uber. Make of it what you want, but I’d keep it in mind if either of them runs for high office again. I think it also says something about the Democrats’ higher circles.