E127: The Tech Right and How The Left Can Fix Itself w/ Jon Askonas

"Upstream" with Erik Torenberg

Today on Upstream, we’re airing Erik Torenberg’s conversation with Jon Askonas. They explore the emerging coalition between MAGA supporters and Silicon Valley tech leaders, examines the underlying political realignment, the tensions and fault lines within this coalition, and the potential future conflicts surrounding issues like immigration and transhumanism.

This episode originally aired on Moment Zen (February 22, 2025)

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

🎙️Moment of Zen

Every week, Erik Torenbergand frequent special guests discuss what's happening in technology, business, politics, and beyond.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15KYOzvDzAQvqX0z0SpHEJ

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/moment-of-zen/id1661672738

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LINKS:

Ezra Klein on Supply-side Progressivism, Polarization, and What Silicon Valley Misses About Politics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1vBO8SYvto

The Future of Crypto with Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQdaQr3EW8g

Tech for Trump: https://www.city-journal.org/article/tech-for-trump

The New Control Society: https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/the-new-control-society

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X / TWITTER:

@JonAskonas

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:

• Silicon Valley has experienced a significant shift away from Democrats, visually demonstrated by tech CEOs like Nadella, Pichai, Bezos, and Zuckerberg attending Trump's inauguration.
• The tech elite was historically one of the most entrenched parts of the Democratic coalition from the Clinton era through the Obama administration.
• COVID enabled tech to be publicly anti-left due to perceived governance incompetence, with figures like Mike Solana leading criticism of San Francisco's policies.
• Brian Armstrong's "no politics at Coinbase" stance marked a controversial turning point, though it wasn't explicitly right-wing.
• The new right coalition consists of three pillars: the Tech Right (elite talent and donors), MAGA (America First policies), and MAHA (Make America Healthy Again).
• What unites this coalition is an "existential fight with the Cathedral" - targeting establishment institutions rather than protecting existing systems.
• Immigration represents a major fault line, with tech generally being pro-immigration while the MAGA base is restrictionist.
• Transhumanism and biotechnology create tension between tech enthusiasm for innovation versus MAGA/MAHA skepticism about "messing with natural biology."
• Democrats are struggling with post-election analysis, focusing on messaging rather than substance.
• Trump's approach differs from previous Republicans by focusing on destroying rather than reforming institutions.
• Many of Trump's most controversial positions were actually Democratic positions in the 1990s.