Is being "successful" (in whatever sense, presumably financially here, I guess) what "command[s] the respect of the public"? Maybe, maybe not.
A lot of the most "successful" people in SV seem to be creepy freaks: Musk, Thiel, Zuckerberg, the A16Z crowd, and so on. Will people like that win elections? I'm skeptical.
Both through direct funding and algorithms to sway people.
How come the writer doesn't consider Musk, Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Bezos or the radicalization brought by silicon valley.
Current leadership might betray its sponsors though and that would be ironic.
Silicon Valley tech leaders aim to rule, not to lead. Principles of Silicon Valley are antithetical to actual government. Would you trust Peter Thiel, Mark Zuckerberg or Ben Horowitz to run your state?