Nice essay posted at Naked Capitalism. Subject: The freedom of speech is sorta, kinda real.
“History rhymed again in 2003. Instead of the Sedition Act it was called the Patriot Act, and it not only established direct censorship but something much worse: the indirect and often invisible censorship of self-censorship. More recently, when criticism of racism, patriotic history and too many rights for sexual minorities began to expand beyond control, the resort to prohibition by law returned. Case in point with Florida’s latest laws, promoted by Governor Ron DeSantis directly banning revisionist books and regulating language in public schools and universities. The creation of a demon called Woke to replace the loss of the previous demon called Muslims―who replaced Communists, who replaced N-people.”
Chris comment: Listen to Joe Kernan, one of the morning anchors on financial channel CNBC, go after the Biden administration for its use of money power to mobilize industry in America, particularly the fabrication of chips. Kernan hauls out all the old candards about why the government should not ‘choose winners and losers’ in the private sector. Kernan is a propagandist for the winners in America, all of which are super wealthy and protected by the government.
https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2024/04/freedom-of-speech-ends-where-true-power-begins.html