Tom Steyer

[Frodo]

Billionaire, hedge fund manager, philanthropist, anthropogenic climate change activist. 

Founder of Farallon Capital that manages $20b in capital for wealthy individuals and institutions.  Firm's investors include college endowments and investments. 

Now a partner at Hellman & Friedman, an $8b private equity firm based in San Francisco.

Along with his wife, he signed The Giving Pledge in 2010 donating half their fortune to charity during their lifetime.

Since becoming active in environmental causes (particularly in relation to climate change), he has been a top donor during the 2014 election cycle, and an environmental advisor to President Obama.

Now on the board of Next Generation (which he founded), a non-profit that tackles children's issues and the environment.

Active in political fundraising. 
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Basically our answer to Donald Trump.     

 

[🕴🏼Melior🕴🏼]

I would enthusiastically support Tom Steyer if he had a realistic shot at winning the nomination. He's a strong progressive, a great man, and a very generous philanthropist. However, there is no way he wins the nomination.

[Frodo]

However, there is no way he wins the nomination.

The same was said of Donald Trump.  Look where we are now.  

[🕴🏼Melior🕴🏼]

However, there is no way he wins the nomination.

The same was said of Donald Trump.  Look where we are now.  

I'm not saying it's impossible, but I can't imagine Steyer being Trump 2.0. One of the main reasons why Trump won the Republican nomination despite originally being seen as a joke candidate was because of his charisma. Steyer is no where near as charismatic as Trump is. Steyer is actually pretty boring and uncharismatic. One of the main reasons why Donald Trump was seen an anti-establishment "populist" outsider despite being a "billionaire" real estate mogul who grew up fabulously wealthy is because of his charisma. He was so charismatic and persuasive that he was able to convince so many people that he was the champion of the working-class. Tom Steyer is not charismatic at all.

Also, one of the main reasons why Hillary lost is because she was seen as out-of-touch with "Real America," and nominating a San Francisco billionaire hedge-fund manager climate change activist would not be a good idea. Steyer is the personification of the liberal elite. Steyer reminds me of Gore in many ways.

 Also, I can't see any Sanders supporter backing Steyer. Bernie literally spent his whole entire campaign bashing Wall Street institutions like hedge funds. Wall Street is deeply unpopular with around half of the Democratic Party. Bernie spent his whole entire campaign doing nothing but bashing Wall Street billionaires. Tom Steyer is a literal Wall Street billionaire.

Don't get me wrong, I like Tom Steyer a lot, but I think his chances of winning nomination is extremely low.

[Mr. Smith]

However, there is no way he wins the nomination.

The same was said of Donald Trump.  Look where we are now. 

I'm not saying it's impossible, but I can't imagine Steyer being Trump 2.0. One of the main reasons why Trump won the Republican nomination despite originally being seen as a joke candidate was because of his charisma. Steyer is no where near as charismatic as Trump is. Steyer is actually pretty boring and uncharismatic. High-levels of charisma is essential in order to win the nomination and the presidency in general. Also, one of the main reasons why Hillary lost is because she was seen as out-of-touch with "Real America," and nominating a San Francisco billionaire hedge-fund manager climate change activist would not be a good idea. Steyer is the epitome of the "liberal elite." Steyer reminds me of Gore in many ways. Also, I can't see any Sanders supporter backing Steyer. Bernie literally spent his whole entire campaign bashing Wall Street institutions like hedge funds. Wall Street is deeply unpopular with around half of the Democratic Party. Bernie is whole entire campaign doing nothing but bashing Wall Street billionaires. Steyer is a literal Wall Street billionaire.

Don't get me wrong, I like Tom Steyer a lot, but I think his chances of winning nomination is extremely low.

Gore was plenty charismatic at one point, and even at the height of 2000, there was still a self-awareness of boringness to merit a chuckle.

Steyer was none of those.

Drafting Neil DeGrasse-Tyson or Warren Buffet or even Al Gore now would literally be more useful.

[🕴🏼Melior🕴🏼]

In many ways, Tom Steyer is a mixture of Michael Bloomberg and Al Gore.

  Both Michael Bloomberg and Steyer are seen as smug, technocratic, coastal, liberal billionaire elitists who are out-of touch culturally speaking with people who live in rural areas while being obsessed with hot-button social issues like climate-change, gun-control, immigration, elitist nanny-statist policies, gay rights, abortion, etc. Both Blooomberg and Steyer are also seen as too pro-Wall Street and pro-business for most Democrats.

I don't see Steyer winning the GE even if he wins the nomination. If anything, I would argue that Steyer is the personification of why Trump won. There is no way Steyer would win.