Mark Cuban, the billionaire entrepreneur, recently claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris is "pro-business" and "more supportive of entrepreneurs than any candidate in a long time." At first glance, Cuban's statement might seem convincing, given his business success. However, a closer examination reveals several problems with this argument, particularly when considering Harris’ policies and Cuban’s own background.
Cuban’s Success: Luck or Skill?
Mark Cuban is certainly a savvy businessman, but his wealth came from one major event: the sale of his company, Broadcast.com, to Yahoo! in 1999 for $5.7 billion. However, this deal turned out to be a disaster for Yahoo! The company was vastly overvalued, and Yahoo! eventually had to write off almost the entire purchase. In fact, Yahoo! barely used the platform before it collapsed.
Cuban’s financial success was more a result of fortunate timing—selling at the peak of the dot-com bubble—than the creation of a lasting, impactful business. While Cuban deserves credit for spotting the opportunity, this one-off success doesn’t make him an expert on which policies will drive long-term business investment, particularly for small businesses that don’t have the luxury of such timing.
Harris’ Economic Policies and Small Business
Despite Cuban’s praise, Kamala Harris’ policy record paints a different picture. Harris has supported policies that increase government regulation, raise taxes, and impose higher costs on businesses. For example, she has advocated for stricter labor and environmental regulations that disproportionately impact small businesses. While large corporations can often absorb these added costs, smaller companies, which are the backbone of America’s economy, struggle to keep up with the increased burdens.
Harris has also supported policies that align with a more centralized, government-heavy economic model. She has pushed for higher corporate taxes and more aggressive environmental and labor regulations, all of which can stifle innovation and discourage investment. These kinds of policies may appeal to those who believe in larger government involvement, but they don’t foster the pro-business, free-market environment that entrepreneurs need to thrive.
Misunderstanding “Pro-Business”
When Cuban says Harris is “pro-business,” it’s important to ask which businesses he’s talking about. While Harris may be willing to listen to corporate leaders, her policies do not favor the small and medium-sized businesses that drive innovation and create the majority of jobs in America. Instead, her policies tend to favor larger, established companies that can weather the storm of higher taxes and more regulation.
Moreover, Harris’ broader political platform often leans toward redistributive policies, which take resources from wealth-generating sectors of the economy and direct them to government programs. While such policies may have good intentions, they tend to create obstacles for the small businesses and entrepreneurs that Cuban claims she supports. Redistributive models, by their nature, take away the incentives and capital needed for entrepreneurship.
Conclusion: Cuban’s Argument Doesn’t Hold Up
Cuban’s endorsement of Kamala Harris as “pro-business” doesn’t align with the reality of her policies. While Cuban’s success story makes for an interesting headline, it doesn’t automatically give him credibility when it comes to assessing complex economic policies. Harris’ record shows a preference for higher taxes, more regulations, and larger government control, all of which are more likely to hinder small business growth than help it.
In the end, the claim that Kamala Harris is “pro-business” is misleading. Harris may listen to business leaders, but her actions tell a different story—one that makes life harder for entrepreneurs and small businesses, not easier.
