‘The many v the money’ should frame the next US Congress

Naomi Klein argues that the next US Congress should make the political divide between ordinary people and billionaire wealth central to its agenda. She points to Texas governor-elect Gina Hinojosa’s move to halt a proposal to sell state park land to SpaceX as an early test of whether elected officials will defend public interests against powerful technology companies.

Hinojosa and senator-elect James Talarico campaigned on challenging concentrated wealth, with Talarico accusing Elon Musk of seeking land, water, public money and political influence. The proposed sale concerns 1,300 acres beside SpaceX’s Starbase facility, including beaches and protected habitat for birds and sea turtles. Klein says threats that companies or billionaires might leave show how public needs such as clean air, water, healthcare and parks are increasingly set against their expansion.