Kerby Anderson
A recent column in the Washington Post observes that “Western government until recently generally did not regard social media and the vision of free speech they promoted as being fundamentally at odds with democracy.” The author concludes that now these governments do, which is why Elon Musk and Pavel Durov are facing “the revenge of the regulators.” He also warns these men “will have to think more carefully” about “whose soil they’re on when they step off the plane.”
Matt Taibbi exposes what is happening now that “Liberalism Removes Its Mask.” He laments that former Labor Secretary Robert Reich published a guide in The Guardian on how to “rein in” Elon Musk and even suggests that “regulators around the world threaten Musk with arrest.”
Matt Taibbi also points to two articles in the New York Times. The first wondered if “The First Amendment is Out of Control.” The more recent article acknowledged and then asked, “The Constitution is Sacred. Is it Also Dangerous?’
We also might mention the comments by Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. She complained that the First Amendment was “hamstringing the government.” Of course, that is the purpose of that amendment and the rest of the Bill of Rights.
I believe what is happening is exposing leftism within liberalism. In previous commentaries, I have made a distinction between liberalism and the left. Liberals and conservatives believe is free speech. Leftists do not.
I discovered this many decades ago while speaking on college campuses. Liberal professors were willing to engage in debate and discussion. Radical leftists worked to shut down debate and wanted to stop any discussion.
Liberal pundits and politicians loved to talk about free speech on social media platforms, until they saw comments they didn’t like. Now the mask if off.

Kerby Anderson
Peter St. Onge asks, “How did American voters get so dumb?” If you have ever watched the answers given by people on the street to historical or political questions, you know that many American voters are not well educated about our history or form of government. Jay Leno’s “Jaywalking” and Jessie Watters’ “Watters’ World” provide many laughs but also cause us to shake our heads.
When he was a professor, Peter St. Onge ran every inaugural address through a Flesch-Kincaid text analysis to measure the grade level. Most of the inaugural addresses during the 20th century were written at the 13th and 14th grade level. Barack Obama’s inaugural was 8th grade level. Donald Trump’s inaugural was 9th grade level. Joe Biden’s inaugural was 7th grade level.
George Washington’s inaugural began with: “Among the vicissitudes incident to life.” Andrew Jackson’s inaugural began with: “Undertaking the arduous duties that I have been appointed.” Joe Biden’s inaugural began with: “This is America’s day.”
Back to his original question: How did we get so dumb? His answer: the public schools. He reminds us that the modern government school came from 1800’s Prussia that suffered from worker riots and peasant revolts. The goal was indoctrination, not education.
Parents and taxpayers have every right to ask: What are we teaching in the schools? Graduates who we see interviewed on the street corner don’t seem to have a clue about this nation’s history or about the structure of government.
Most of them could not pass the citizenship test we give to people who come here from other countries and desire to become U.S. citizens. Unfortunately, they will vote in November even though they don’t know enough to make an informed vote.