The Tech Right and How The Left Can Fix Itself w/ Jon Askonas
From Upstream
Eric Torenberg(Host)•Eric Thornberg(Host, Upstream)•Jon Askonas(Guest, Assistant Professor of Politics, Catholic University of America & Senior Fellow, Foundation for American Innovation)
Executive Summary
10 quotes
Concerns Raised
The significant fault line over immigration policy, which pits the tech right's need for global talent against the MAGA base's restrictionist views.
Future political tensions over advanced biotechnologies and 'transhumanism', creating a conflict between tech progressives and the 'Maha' movement's skepticism of science.
The tech right's limited electoral base, which may reduce its influence on populist issues like immigration when in conflict with the broader MAGA movement.
Opportunities Identified
The crypto industry has mobilized a large, distributed political constituency, creating a powerful new voting bloc.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) model presents a new, tech-driven approach to reducing government waste and improving accountability.
The political realignment provides the Republican party with a new source of elite talent, donors, and innovative policy ideas from the tech sector.