Often lost in Prop 22 discussion: the ballot initiative is just a halfway measure to float TNCs until they get to fully automated fleets (no drivers). It makes all arguments about creating flexibility and part time opportunities for their drivers completely hollow.

For the sake of argument, let's say they get away with it, Prop 22 passes and they're exempted from basic labor law protections. What then? The economics of the initiative are not great for TNCs to begin with.

In the ensuing race to obtain autonomous fleets, they'll be competing against the car manufacturers, who will ALWAYS be able to produce vehicles cheaper and more efficiently than TNCs. It's their business model after all.

So Uber/Lyft/Doordash etc. are taking a huge financial gamble on the proposition that their service will be so popular and their brands so indispensable that a GM/Ford won't be able to replicate and replace. I don't buy it.

Their customer base isn't that loyal and has always been hyper-responsive to VC funded promotions. All this is a long winded way of saying they're spending $200 million on a ballot initiative that at best, buys them a little time. It's destructive and corrosive to our democracy.

Wouldn't they be better off pigeonholing themselves as experts in facilitation of on-demand delivery/transportation? That's the real technological innovation we're looking at. It can also be accomplished by working with employers who use W-2 employees.

For example, @ridewithvia has partnered with @RideSacRT to make public transit less static and fixed. They're doing it with @ATUComm members. That's cool AND doesn't involve exploiting working class POC. Just another reason why I'm #NoOnProp22 and so should you.