Posted on 07/24/2008 8:13:56 PM PDT by Grundon
Media sources such as CNN, and also several questionable academics have come out with a multi-pronged attack on John McCain's knowledge of the "Information Economy" this week. Amongst those is a media professor from American University named Steinhorn Comments By L. Steinhorn, Prof of Communications
Steinhorn claims that McCain's funny syllogism of "A Google", his desire to avoid email, and lack of a MySpace webpage prove that McCain does not understand the Information Economy. He points to Barrack Obama's use of YouTube and MySpace to win over young voters as proof that he understands modern economics.
This is false on several fronts. First of all, John McCain has always voted to defend technology markets from both overseas domination and also undue taxation and regulation. McCain voted to extend HB1 Visas which is a prime source for American business in obtaining the most talented programmers. He has voted to protect against technology theft by Chinese copyright infringement. It's not as sexy as YouTube, but much more important. McCain understands that if we do not defend the free market, then there is no new technology.
Secondly, the same free market forces that created modern Internet communications are the same free markets as defended by Ronald Reagan for creating the wealth of the 1950's. Just because we are dealing with computers, Wi-Fi, and streaming media, doesn't mean we need to use socialism as our new political system. Academics can feel superior to the silly Marxists of 1917 who handed out flyers in Moscow Red Square announcing the coming People's Revolution. This new socialist revolution is announced on the Web with daily email updates streamed to your device of choice. Obama is techno savvy even though he doesn't understand how to defend the free market upon which all technology depends. But unfortunately Obama is missing the point, no free market means no technology.
I understand where academics like Steinhorn are coming from. It is easy to get caught up in particular media and forget that there are underlying market forces that created them. Some academics like to think that the World Wide Web is a product of a mass cultural love-in, and not produced by hard-headed businessmen. Some academics become dependent on government grants which make them permanent Democrats for Life. CNN is unfortunately a tainted news source, so I am not surprised that they would carry the Socialist party line.
John McCain once said he would put Bill Gates on his cabinet. He was probably half-joking, but it does show that he understands the importance of the Information Economy. Bill Gates best represents the creative power and influence of the new economy. John McCain gets it.
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Ohhhhhhh...so Steinhorn Leghorn thinks Herr Obama posts his own YouTube videos and created his own MySpace page, eh?
I think The Doobie Brothers said it best: What a fool believes.
LOL. Hardly.
It is a prime source for American business in obtaining cheaper labor, replacing high-paying jobs with lower paying positions filled by people from India and elsewhere.
What is this author smoking?
it does say something about mccain.
one would think he would need to e-mail and be e-mailed.
on the other hand, a guy with his power and money
employees people who do those things.
No, the Republican party is waking up to these realities, that the Rats have brainwashed the public and much of this has been done online. Kudos for waking up when it matters.
I’m glad someone brought Steinhorn’s comment over here so I could comment on how sophomoric it is.
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