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Apropos of today's Senate hearing, a quick thread on Big Tech, conservatism, and the GOP, with links to some of my recent writings on the intersection thereof.
Conservatism, properly understood, values *prudence*. "Humility comes...from a willingness to reassess a moment in history and rethink the proper means to meet the timeless ends of politics—justice, human flourishing, individual liberty and the good life." https://amgreatness.com/2020/08/27/how-to-think-about-conservatism-post-trump/
In the Anglo-American conservative tradition, then, "legal and economic norms must be construed as instrumentalities serving the superlative substantive goals of politics qua politics: justice, human flourishing, and the common good." https://americancompass.org/the-commons/conservatism-must-be-chastened-by-humility/
Therefore, given the current climate, "it is imperative that conservatives embrace the solemn responsibility of wielding the levers of political power...to protect online speech from the heavy, censorious hand of Silicon Valley ideologues." https://nypost.com/2020/10/16/by-censoring-the-post-big-tech-is-begging-for-big-time-reform/
Section 230 reform and targeted antitrust enforcement—and kudos here to @TheJusticeDept for launching a probe against the worst offender, Google—are good places to start. But we ought to think even more outside the box, and keep all options on the table. https://americancompass.org/the-commons/what-to-do-after-big-techs-pearl-harbor-attack-on-the-new-york-post/
As I recently said, "The reality is both simple and stark: Conservatives must hold Big Tech accountable or conservatives will cease to be politically relevant in this country."
This is the inescapable reality we now live in. https://www.theiap.org/news/g8a5rhqhxvk88brykgusygarz86j31
This is the inescapable reality we now live in. https://www.theiap.org/news/g8a5rhqhxvk88brykgusygarz86j31
This moment is critical. Conservatives must get over their fear of actually using political power and wield the levers, as my friend David Azerrad has written, “to reward friends and punish enemies (within the confines of the rule of law).” https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/american-conservatism-is-fiddling-while-rome-burns/
For the GOP, there is no political future for the sort of dogmatic, fundamentalist, "private sector can do no wrong" liberalized politics of yore. Big Tech's unprecedented assault on the @nypost is a game-changer, and it is imperative that we on the Right all treat it as such.
Good for the Senate for holding today's hearing. Good for Attorney General Barr for the DOJ antitrust probe against Google. Good for @HawleyMO for continuing to lead on Section 230.
It's time to ditch the bromides and deal with the real world we inhabit. https://nypost.com/2020/10/19/josh-hawley-senate-gop-must-act-to-stop-big-tech-abuses/
It's time to ditch the bromides and deal with the real world we inhabit. https://nypost.com/2020/10/19/josh-hawley-senate-gop-must-act-to-stop-big-tech-abuses/
