For those readers maintaining an interest, Trump Media & Technology Group Corp went live with their Truth API on Saturday. How do I feel about this? Let’s start with the announcement:
“Markets already move on Truth Social posts,” Truth Media’s McGurn wrote at the time of the announcement. “Truth API delivers a direct, licensed, real-time feed of the platform’s most market-moving Truths while advancing our strategy to monetize proprietary assets through a high-margin, recurring revenue stream.” [CNBC]
Unfortunately, he’s probably right. Libertarians should be shivering in horror at this juncture, as this is clear evidence of government interfering in free markets. But is that the position of their customers, or are they too focused on making money and keeping their shareholders happy to actually think about the implications of this entire sordid mess?
Then there’s the true conservatives in this context – Senators Warren (D-MA) and Schiff (D-CA):
“This appears to be an outrageous abuse of the President’s office for his personal benefit that undermines everyday investors and the integrity of our markets, while enriching Wall Street and other wealthy insiders,” they wrote in a letter to SEC chair Paul Atkins dated Tuesday.
If you’re busy being outraged at the thought of those two Senators being conservative, keep it in context. They’re calling for government not to interfere in the private sphere, especially for personal gain. Plenty of liberals and conservatives have been caught with their hand in the cookie jars, to be sure, and mutter about that if you must. It’s corruption.
But it’s worth a bit of contemplation concerning corruption. Why is it so bad? Because corruption misdirects societal resources for critical services. Just as putting investor desires for return on investment first in the corporate world, corruption’s purpose of skimming resources, whether it’s product, information, or wealth, changes how resources are distributed – and reduces efficiency, sometimes drastically.
That’s why the concern over corruption, whether it’s Fat Leonard corrupting naval officers, or Donald Trump corrupting his own Administration. Misdirecting resources can result in chaos and disaster.
Well, I’m a bit far afield here, so I’ll stop and let your mind wander on the various subjects.
