Welcome to Axis Proerata, where we take just 10 minutes to get you smarter on the collision of tech, business, and politics.

Sponsored by Bridge Bank, be bold, venture wisely.

I'm Dan Pramak.

On today's show, what Washington still might accomplish before the 2020 elections, and when doing the right thing

becomes a risk factor.

But first, the tech lashes unexpected winner.

Over the past couple of years, there has been tons of political and media pressure on

big tech, and in particular, giants like Facebook, Google, and Amazon.

But one that's largely escaped scrutiny is Microsoft, even though it's one of the

industry's best known names and most valuable companies. And to that point, if you put together

the market caps of Facebook, Netflix, and Twitter, they still wouldn't come close to Microsoft's

$961 billion. In short, the Windows maker has become Teflon to the tech lash, maybe not beloved by consumers like it was 20 years ago, but also not feared by them or resented by them. So how does a giant like this go unnoticed? One way is muscle memory, as Microsoft went through a bruising antitrust fight in the early 2000s, which taught it how to work with Washington, D.C.,

rather than against Washington, D.C. Another has been by proactively recognizing potential

tech landmines, things like facial recognition and publicly calling for regulation. It's also created

some goodwill by pledging half a billion dollars for affordable housing in its home market of Seattle,

while its co-founder and former CEO Bill Gates is now better known as a malaria-fighting philanthropist than as a conniving tech giant. To be sure, this isn't all about altruism. Microsoft is a for-profit company with a lot of profit. And there's some case to be made that the kid gloves reflect how Microsoft is no longer quite so important

to brand well among kids. But at the very least, Microsoft may become a role model for other

younger tech giants to follow. In 20 seconds, we'll go deeper with Axios managing editor Kim Hart.

But first, this. Bridgebank believes in the risk takers, the game changers and the disruptors, those committed

to leveraging innovation to make the world a better place.

That's why Bridgebank has been dedicated to providing financial solutions to sponsor-backed

emerging technology and growth companies for nearly two decades through its national network

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