Terrific op-ed from Dana Milbank today! His focus is Jeff Bezos’ recent order that “We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. …viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.”
Terrific op-ed from Dana Milbank today! His focus is Jeff Bezos’ recent order that “We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. …viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.”
Milbank writes: "[T]his much is clear: If we as a newspaper, and we as a country, are to defend his twin pillars, then we must redouble our fight against the single greatest threat to “personal liberties and free markets” in the United States today: President Donald Trump."
Here is the start of Milbank’s op-ed (which I urge you to read):
Over the last 48 hours, I’ve been receiving from readers and friends the sort of notes one gets upon losing a loved one, or perhaps receiving a terminal diagnosis.
“So very sorry.”
“Hang in there.”
“Sending you love and strength.”
“With appreciation and sorrow.”
The cause of death? The belief that Post owner Jeff Bezos has just ended the tradition of open debate that has guided this paper’s editorial page for generations.
Michael, this is why I posted a gift link. The article is not paywalled. I guarantee that it’s worth your time. If not, I owe you a pint if you’re ever in my neck of the woods – heck, I’ll buy you a pint regardless.
I agree that it's an excellent essay. Of course, Paleo is right that it takes as its premise that free markets should be taken for granted as a pillar of American society. But it's unfortunately too much to expect corporate media in the U.S. to give a platform to socialists who truly advocate socialism. And nowadays, even not kowtowing to a wannabe dictator in advance of the election was too much to expect. I have to wonder if Bezos would even allow this kind of op-ed to be printed next year.
The monopolistic capitalism we increasingly have today is anathema to the free market. Only well-regulated capitalism (à la Elizabeth Warren) can yield a free market – that is my argument as a Scandinavian and a social democrat (a term that is strangely out of fashion on this side of the Atlantic).
I love Warren. But I can foresee a time when ownership of the means of production to a large extent needs to be controlled democratically, not in private hands, and that's when almost everything is computerized and robotized.
If Jeff Bezos had owned the Washington Post in 1972, Richard Nixon would have been able to serve out his second term. And fascism would have come to the United States decades earlier.
This is why Lina Khan wasn't confirmed for another term. Her quixotic mission was hamstrung by the courts and only made people like Bezos don the black shirt.
PERSONAL LIBERTIES & FREE MARKETS?
Terrific op-ed from Dana Milbank today! His focus is Jeff Bezos’ recent order that “We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. …viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.”
Milbank writes: "[T]his much is clear: If we as a newspaper, and we as a country, are to defend his twin pillars, then we must redouble our fight against the single greatest threat to “personal liberties and free markets” in the United States today: President Donald Trump."
https://wapo.st/3DaSKxX
Here is the start of Milbank’s op-ed (which I urge you to read):
Over the last 48 hours, I’ve been receiving from readers and friends the sort of notes one gets upon losing a loved one, or perhaps receiving a terminal diagnosis.
“So very sorry.”
“Hang in there.”
“Sending you love and strength.”
“With appreciation and sorrow.”
The cause of death? The belief that Post owner Jeff Bezos has just ended the tradition of open debate that has guided this paper’s editorial page for generations.
He’s right - Trump is incompatible with either
Yeah
Not the point. He accepts the oligarch's dictate rather than saying there should be a variety of viewpoints.
Do you mean Millbank does? If you mean Bezos, he is an oligarch.
Yes and yes.
Ok, I'm not going to easily read the entirety of a presumably paywalled essay.
Michael, this is why I posted a gift link. The article is not paywalled. I guarantee that it’s worth your time. If not, I owe you a pint if you’re ever in my neck of the woods – heck, I’ll buy you a pint regardless.
I didn't realize. I'll read it.
I agree that it's an excellent essay. Of course, Paleo is right that it takes as its premise that free markets should be taken for granted as a pillar of American society. But it's unfortunately too much to expect corporate media in the U.S. to give a platform to socialists who truly advocate socialism. And nowadays, even not kowtowing to a wannabe dictator in advance of the election was too much to expect. I have to wonder if Bezos would even allow this kind of op-ed to be printed next year.
The monopolistic capitalism we increasingly have today is anathema to the free market. Only well-regulated capitalism (à la Elizabeth Warren) can yield a free market – that is my argument as a Scandinavian and a social democrat (a term that is strangely out of fashion on this side of the Atlantic).
I love Warren. But I can foresee a time when ownership of the means of production to a large extent needs to be controlled democratically, not in private hands, and that's when almost everything is computerized and robotized.
If Jeff Bezos had owned the Washington Post in 1972, Richard Nixon would have been able to serve out his second term. And fascism would have come to the United States decades earlier.
This is why Lina Khan wasn't confirmed for another term. Her quixotic mission was hamstrung by the courts and only made people like Bezos don the black shirt.