We are pleased to report that the Patriotic Millionaires’ sixth annual Spring Symposium was a smashing success!
Throughout our event, our members engaged in dialogues with thought leaders, activists, and policymakers about the urgent need to tax the rich, pay the people, and spread the power. For this week’s Closer Look, we’d like to share some of the highlights of our annual meeting with you.
We kicked things off on Monday with our Expert Town Hall, “How to Beat the Broligarchs.” Speakers and panelists discussed the danger that oligarchs like President Trump and Elon Musk pose to our economy, democracy, and broader society. Panelists also explored what are the bold actions necessary to stop America’s slide into authoritarianism.
Our incredible lineup of speakers and panelists included: Erica Payne, Damon Silvers, John Driscoll, Elizabeth Wilkins, Leah Greenberg, Jesse Eisinger, Donald Sherman, Michael Waldman, Nabil Ahmed, Nancy MacLean, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Dennis Kelleher, Brooke Harrington, Stephanie Kelton, Elizabeth Pancotti, Abigail Disney, Rutger Bregman, Helaine Olen, Ashley Allison, Ana María Archila, Guillaume Rambourg, and Sabina Vohra-Miller. We are so grateful to each of them for taking the time to lead such a riveting discussion about America’s inequality crisis. Click HERE to learn more about our incredible speakers and their backgrounds.
At our Expert Town Hall, we also unveiled our new legislative platform, “AMERICA 250: The Money Agenda.” The platform consists of four powerful, mutually-reinforcing pieces of legislation that we drafted. Altogether, these policies would work to permanently stabilize the economic lives of working people and stimulate widespread economic growth ahead of America’s 250th birthday in 2026. These include: the “COST OF LIVING” TAX CUT Act, the “COST OF LIVING” WAGE Act, the EQUAL TAX Act, and the ANTI-OLIGARCH Act. Click HERE to learn more about AMERICA 250 and how it will rescue America’s economy from the throes of oligarchy.
If you weren’t able to catch the livestream on Monday of “How to Beat the Broligarchs,” check out the full recording of the program HERE.
The following day, dozens of our members took our message directly to Capitol Hill. We met with 30 members of Congress and encouraged them to get behind “AMERICA 250: The Money Agenda.” Lawmakers were receptive to our message and mission, and we are determined to keep the conversation going with them about our legislative platform.
Some of our members and staff had the opportunity to meet with California Senator Alex Padilla and discuss our priorities with him and his staff:
After their lobby meetings, some of our members attended a rally in front of the Capitol for the introduction of the Raise the Wage Act. Introduced in the Senate by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and in the House by Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03), the legislation would raise the minimum wage to $17 an hour for all workers, and gradually eliminate the subminimum wage for tipped workers, disabled workers, and youth workers. The Patriotic Millionaires endorsed this legislation along with 84 other allied organizations.
We closed out our symposium on Tuesday evening at our annual Taxation & Libations party. Over good food and drinks, our members and invited guests enjoyed remarks from a number of elected officials, including: New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Reps. Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Greg Casar (TX-35), and Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03). The party was so well-attended that it even got a shoutout in POLITICO!
With our members all very busy and spread out all over the country, we cherish our time together each year at our annual symposium. Our work is cut out for us with everything going on with Trump, Musk, and DOGE – not to mention, the “big, beautiful” tax cuts for the wealthy that Republicans are gearing up to pass in the coming months. But after our time together and after numerous engaging conversations with activists and lawmakers, we’re feeling energized and ready to take on the fight that lies ahead.