As the midterm elections approach, a notable surge of dissatisfaction regarding artificial intelligence and its link to extreme wealth is surfacing in the United States. A recent poll from the Wall Street Journal indicates that 63 percent of adults in the US support halting AI development. This sentiment is heightened by the fact that only 12 percent of those surveyed trust AI firms to regulate themselves.
The poll connects AI anxiety to wealth concentration: the billionaires bankrolling the tech – funding data centers and pocketing fortunes as executives rush AI to market – collectively own more wealth than 57 percent of US households combined.
A survey conducted in late September with 1,500 registered voters showed robust backing for policies that favor the working class, cutting across political affiliations. For example, a proposed law to eliminate surprise medical bills garnered 90 percent approval. Additionally, 61 percent of participants supported a new federal wealth tax aimed at Americans with a net worth exceeding $1 billion. Moreover, 88 percent of voters want health insurance companies to cover all services and medications prescribed by doctors, while 87 percent favor capping the maximum price of prescription drugs. Furthermore, 79 percent support limiting credit card interest rates to 10 percent.
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Support for Wealth Tax
61 percent support a federal wealth tax. A new federal wealth tax on Americans with a net worth of over $1 billion has support from 61 percent of participants.
Support for Capping Prescription Drug Prices
87 percent support capping prescription drug prices. 87 percent want to cap the maximum price of prescription drugs.
Support for Limiting Credit Card Interest Rates
79 percent support limiting credit card interest rates. A further 79 percent are in favor of limiting credit card interest rates to 10 percent.
Democratic pollster John Anzalone remarked on the poll findings, stating, “We love to think about the world as conservative and liberal. Maybe we should start thinking about the world as: populism is a dominant ideology in both the Democratic and Republican voting blocs.” While these legislative proposals may not significantly alter the situation for America’s working class on their own, the overwhelming support for such policies reflects a rising dissatisfaction with the current economic climate, where many feel increasingly marginalized by the tech elite.
This discontent arises from the genuine difficulties faced by working Americans, who find it hard to afford homes and feel financially trapped. As Anzalone explains, “when you feel like you can’t buy a home, or you feel like you can’t get ahead, you will all of a sudden be attracted to policies you never thought you would be attracted to.”
