New Orleans       As tech gazillionaires line up at Mar-de-Lago to “kiss the key,” as the papers called it, of President-elect Trump, they have to be hoping that the next administration will be nothing buy high clover for the rich, assuming that Trump will put all of this populist stuff on the back burner once again.   It’s probably a safe bet, but there are still some signs that it’s not all roses for the rich these days.

Recent polls indicate that many Americans hold critical views regarding wealth distribution and the influence of affluent individuals and corporations. Key findings include:

• Perception of Economic Fairness: A significant majority, 69%, believe the U.S. economy is structured to benefit the rich and powerful. Ipsos
• Taxation Views: A substantial portion of the population supports increasing taxes on wealthy individuals and large corporations. Notably, 79% favor such measures, with support spanning across political affiliations: 94% of Democrats, 78% of independents, and 63% of Republicans. Navigator Research
• Responsibility for Tax Burden: When considering who is more responsible for the taxes they pay, 71% of Americans point to rich individuals and big corporations not paying their fair share, rather than attributing it to poor Americans who don’t pay taxes. Navigator Research
• Views on Billionaires: Public opinion on billionaires is mixed. A Pew Research survey found that 42% of Americans view the existence of billionaires as detrimental to the country, an increase from previous years. This sentiment is particularly strong among younger adults and liberal Democrats.

Yeah, but do the rich really care about what hoi polloi really thinks?  Probably not, but perhaps they should.  Here are some examples:

• Bill Gates and his buddies at the Giving Pledge which promises a big chunk of wealth will be donated, rather than hoarded, have actually kicked out several of their members for bad behavior.
• Students who could not get enough financial aid continue to make progress on a lawsuit with more than a dozen colleges and universities for giving special admissions standards to the rich and potential donors. Some have already conceded the issue and paid $245 million to settle.  Common sense says the rest are absolutely playing a losing hand.
• Elon Musk is having his security clearance questioned because he’s not being transparent about his travel and drug use.
• Gautam Adani, Sam Bankman-Fried, fake altruism, and a bunch of others are having a time of reckoning.

Hey, I’m not saying that the rich and superrich don’t still have the premium seats on the easy train, because they absolutely do.  I am saying that they are smoking their own product, if they think that people are OK with the inequity and their over-the-top wealth and entitlements, and in some cases, people are watching them harder and willing to hold them accountable.

What goes around is going to come around!