Detect Do tech optimists have a political home?

Not long ago, you could plausibly have pointed to either party.

Republicans were the Chamber of Commerce crowd.

Silicon Valley, meanwhile, was a stronghold for Democrats.

I still remember Barack Obama's Twitter Town Hall.

Today, it's hard to avoid the conclusion that neither side is the tech party.

If anything, both have gradually turned anti-tech.

It's something to do with Democrats souring on Facebook after Cambridge Analytica,

and Republicans riling themselves up about big tech quote unquote censorship,

and Democratic social justice activists concluding that tech is extractive,

and Republican maga types deciding that AI is literally demonic.

If this sounds like a downward spiral, well, perhaps it is. What's behind it? Fear of accelerating change? First world complacency? I'm not sure, but let's dig in. This is the tech policy podcast. I'm Corbyn Barthold.

I'm delighted to welcome to the show for his long overdue first appearance, Adam Kovacovic,

the CEO of Chamber of Progress.

He's here to think out loud with me about these deep questions.

Also, his organization just launched a project to un-black pill Democrats on tech, and I'm eager to hear about that. Adam, welcome. Great to be here.

Before we dive in, I should note tech freedom, we are rigorously nonpartisan. We support technological

progress that improves the human condition.

I don't think any regular listener of the show would think I carry water for either political party.

And I don't think I'll sound like I do today either.

But out of an abundance of caution, everybody, my opinions today are my own, not necessarily that of my

employer. And with that out of the way, Adam, very excited to talk to you about all this stuff.

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