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We wrote the following yesterday
Revolving door: Big Govt and Big Biz Are Inextricably Intertwined
This article chronicles the ongoing, building relationship between Big Government & Big Business. One of the most absurd examples of Big Government and Big Business cronying? Big Gov’s nauseating, dangerously crony relationship with Big Tech.
Big Government is more than happy to be bribed into action on behalf of Big Tech — and against Big Tech’s relatively tiny opponents. (And, of course, the tiniest of Big Tech’s opponents is us. We the Data Providers. And Big Business is more than happy to return the favor — and provide a nominally private sector veneer to the censorship Big Government wishes to see imposed. Quid, pro, quo. Lather, rinse, repeat….
Democrats and Big Tech Billionaires Come Together
Big Tech employees donate a lot to 2020 Democrats
Big Tech gave top Democrats huge donations to support anti-trust legislation
Google Administration is currently in power
We’re About to Pay Billions More Per Year for Big Tech’s Latest Government Cronyism
Democrats Refuse to Help Expose Big Tech’s Harms to Children
The New Cronyism: Big Tech Censors Conservatives – Democrats Deliver Crony Policies
Employers from Big Tech Flood Democrats with Donations and Censor Conservatives
Democrats Demand More Big Tech Censorship
Democrats, Big Tech & the Real Misinformation Problem
Of course, this remains empirically true….
Conservatives Pretending Big Tech Isn’t Anti-Conservative Are an Embarrassment
Big Tech is what we refer to. The “edge providers,” as they’re called. “FAANG.” The enormous companies that are currently in the process of consolidating their monolithic control of US markets and speech.
Let’s check some market caps, shall we?
Apple: $2.8 trillion
Alphabet (Google): $1.8 trillion
Amazon: $1.5 trillion
Facebook: $874 billion
What is the secret to these huge companies? How did Facebook — a glorified Comment Section — get to be worth nearly a trillion dollars?
Why did Big Tech become so big? Massive Government Cronyism – Like Section 230
You ask about Section 230?:
“Speaking of unfair…behold Section 230. It grants Big Tech companies broad amnesty against libel and slander as well as intellectual property lawsuits stemming from third party actions.
This is anti-Fourteenth Amendment un-equal protection before the law – that no one else in the history of the country has ever received.
“If I owned a small neighborhood bar, I would have to purchase liability insurance to protect me should one third-party patron punch another third-party patron in my place. Or I would have to go to court and convince a judge or jury that it took place in my place – but not because of my place.
“Why do the biggest and richest companies in the history of Planet Earth get government-imposed blanket third-party-action immunity?”
And since the China Virus darkened our shores, Big Government’s crony inattentiveness allowed all things Big Tech to get even worse. About which we in mid-2020 warned….
China Virus Scam Used By Big Tech Companies To Takeover America
And oh look….
Big Tech Companies Buy Smaller Rivals at Record Speed
Big Tech’s Pandemic Power Grab
About all of which Big Government pretends to be concerned — via what I call “legislature theater.” Big Gov officials look very earnest, issue press releases, and sometimes even file bills. But then, you’ll note, nothing ever actually happens.
Democrats Plan to Take On Big Tech – June 9, 2021
Dems, Critical of Big Tech, Court Campaign Cash – June 6, 2019
Democrats Aren’t Backing Down on Internet Data Privacy – April 6, 2017
Senate Democrats Offer Consumer Privacy and Protection Act of 2015 – May 6, 2015
And here’s where things get really…ironic.
Tech Industry’s Legislation Talk Puts Democrats in Net Neutrality Bind
Net neutrality refers to the idea that all Web data should equally be treated. Other than that, some Web data should be treated equally.
Big Tech keeps increasing its non neutral censorship against all things conservative. While Big Government repeatedly attempts to hand Big Tech even more cronyism — via one-sided, pro-Big Tech, anti-Internet Service Provider (ISP) Net Neutrality.
Big Tech and Big Government have united to attack ISPs. We should check/revisit market caps.
Big Tech:
Apple: $2.8 trillion
Alphabet (Google): $1.8 trillion
Amazon: $1.5 trillion
Facebook: $874 billion
ISPs:
Comcast: $227.4 billion
Verizon: $218.7 billion
AT&T: $173.7 billion
T-Mobile: $133.9 billion
As you can see, four of the nation’s largest ISPs COMBINED are worth less than the smallest of the Big Tech companies. Big Tech is defending the ISPs, so Big Government will side with them. Big Tech has the ability to bribe even more.
You can also get Big Government idiocies, such as Net neutrality.
“Net Neutrality is a stupidly huge government imposition in the Internet – specifically on the ISPs. A whole host of regulations restricting just about everything ISPs do to provide us service….
“Big Tech demands government impose Net Neutrality – because it guarantees them huge government-mandated benefits. Here’s one example:
“As mentioned, Big Tech consumes way more than half of all US bandwidth. Net Neutrality – mandates they not be charged any money for any of it. We the Little People would pay MUCH more for our service – to subsidize the likes of Apple, Amazon and Google.
“Net Neutrality is massive government regulation – to impose massive Big Tech cronyism.”
Oh, and Title II Net neutrality will make ISPs pay even more taxes. This means that We the Abused will pay more taxes than they already do.
“Here’s another Big Tech crony benefit…Behold the Universal Service Fund (USF).
“What is the USF?:
“‘(A) system of telecommunications subsidies and fees managed by the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) intended to promote universal access to telecommunications services in the United States.’
“‘Fees’ – ??? Government never wants to call its taxes ‘taxes.’ And the USF taxes are MASSIVE….”
You might be wondering what the current USF tax rate is. 25.2%. Every quarter, it rises automatically. The rate goes up each quarter when the three-of-five Federal Communications Commission (FCC), bureaucrats who are not elected vote to increase it.
On our phones, we the Abused are subject to the massive USF tax. Soon, if Big Government and Big Tech get their way, we’ll also pay it on our Internet service.
But, of course, Big Tech still won’t pay it at all. Because of Big Government cronyism. So We the Abused will get to continue to augment Big Tech’s massive profits:
“Big Tech has been enjoying a free ride on our internet infrastructure while skipping out on the billions of dollars in costs needed to maintain and build that network.
“Indeed, one study shows that the online streaming services provided by just five companies – Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and Microsoft—account for a whopping 75 percent of all traffic on rural broadband networks.
“The same study shows that 77-94 percent of total network costs are related to adding capacity or otherwise supporting the delivery of those streaming services.
“Ordinary Americans, not Big Tech, have been footing the bill for those costs.”
It doesn’t seem that any of these seems net neutral, does it?
However, this is how it looks when Big Governments and Big Techs are crony cookers.
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