Uber needs help pushing back against taxi regulators. "Our opponent—the Big Taxi cartel—has used decades of political contributions and influence to restrict competition, reduce choice for consumers, and put a stranglehold on economic opportunity for its drivers," CEO Travis Kalanick explained.

So Uber hired a "campaign manager": David Plouffe, who ran Barack Obama's campaign in 2008 and served as a senior presidential adviser. Too bad Mr. Plouffe didn't discover the virtues of deregulation before leaving...