Podcast Summary: The Charlie Kirk Show

Episode: Big Tech's Very Good Week & Why Republicans Refuse to Fight Back
Date: July 2, 2021
Host: Charlie Kirk

Episode Overview

In this episode, Charlie Kirk delves into two central issues: the mounting power of Big Tech—highlighting a week filled with significant legal and political wins for the tech giants—and the continued reluctance of the Republican Party to meaningfully confront or regulate these companies. He also explores election controversies, focusing on New York City's mayoral primary debacle and the broader implications of ranked choice voting. Kirk offers a characteristic, unfiltered critique of "ideological" governance and underscores what he sees as the urgent need for conservative action against both governmental and corporate threats to Americans' rights and freedoms.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. New York City's Election Troubles and Ranked Choice Voting

• Election Confusion in NYC
  • Kirk describes being in New York City, observing "about one in four people are wearing two masks," and notes a sense of hope returning to the city.
    • Notable Quote (07:45):

      "New York's got some spirit back. I'm cheering for New York. And, you know, we're gonna talk about how New York is leading the world in how to run a third world election."

  • Raises concerns about the use of 135,000 "test ballots" in the Democratic mayoral primary, questioning why so many were necessary and whether other states did the same.
  • Criticizes the implementation of ranked choice voting, asserting it "panders to the most radical voter" and creates confusion, even among officials.
    • Notable Quote (11:40):

      "I'm a huge critic of ranked choice voting because it panders to the most radical voter... If you're confused, so is the New York Board of Elections."

  • Draws a parallel to egalitarian chaos, suggesting New York City is moving toward a scenario where no one is truly in charge ("just like the Paris Commune").
• Ideology Over Practical Governance
  • Traces New York’s decline to a shift post-2017, blaming activist-driven, abstract policies that ignore real-world outcomes, particularly crime and policing.
  • Quotes Solzhenitsyn about the "tragedy of the Soviet Union happened thanks to ideology." (15:30)
    • Notable Quote (15:50):

      "All of the tragedy of the Soviet Union happened thanks to ideology, where you have a group of people that care more to their commitment to an abstraction than what's good for the well being of the citizens around them."

  • Reminisces about a time, post-9/11, when New Yorkers prioritized safety and prosperity over ideological purity.

2. Big Tech’s Week of Victories

• Facebook, Free Speech, and Court Battles
  • Reacts to a federal judge blocking Florida’s social media law aimed at restricting Big Tech censorship of political candidates.
    • Notable Quote (37:15):

      "You're trying to tell me a law that was trying to be passed to protect free speech violates freedom of speech?"

  • Shares frustration at judges equating massive tech companies with small, local businesses, minimizing their outsized influence.
    • Notable Quote (40:35):

      "So this judge is making the argument that the $5.7 trillion companies, four of them, they should be treated as if they are the local Lebanese restaurant in midtown New York City."

• The ‘Parallel Government’ of Big Tech
  • Asserts that firms like Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple form a "parallel government" more powerful than the federal government, with a combined market cap exceeding $5.7 trillion.
    • Notable Quote (30:18):

      "They represent a power structure that quite honestly is more powerful than the own federal government that we give our power and pay our taxes to."

  • Argues these companies act as political actors with clear ideological commitments—no different than a "Democrat super PAC."
• Facebook’s New ‘Extremism’ Warnings
  • Criticizes Facebook’s new pop-ups warning users about exposure to "extremist content," warning that terms like "extremism" and "experts" are being used as tools to control speech and behavior.
    • Notable Quote (43:50):

      "Anytime you hear the word extremism, it's someone who is trying to use power to manipulate your actions... They consider Christians to be extremists. If you believe in the Bible, you're an extremist."

• Antitrust Lawsuit Against Facebook
  • Notes Facebook’s legal victory over the FTC, allowing it to maintain its dominance by acquiring rising competitors and restricting API access to would-be rivals.
  • Points out that courts seem to side with Big Tech's "right to dominate you" over the individual's right to free speech.

3. Legal Analogies and the Question of Corporate Power

• Comparing Big Tech to Traditional Services
  • Poses rhetorical questions: Should McDonald’s be allowed to refuse service to Republicans? Can airlines eject Trump voters? Draws analogies to highlight inconsistencies in how discrimination is treated in law versus online platforms (47:10).
• Information Highways vs. Real Highways
  • Compares Facebook, Google, and Amazon to "information highways." Notes that private ownership of such critical infrastructure has limits on allowable discrimination.

4. Why Republicans Refuse to Fight Back

• Historical Conservative Skepticism of Government Power
  • Explains that many Republicans are hesitant to act against Big Tech due to ingrained skepticism of using political power—a legacy of Cold War-era anti-government thinking.
    • Notable Quote (54:55):

      "The reason why Republicans have not done this is they're so afraid that if they dare use the political power given to them by voters that that power will be abused. News flash. You're being abused by the people that actually have the power."

• F.A. Hayek and The Road to Serfdom
  • References Hayek’s Road to Serfdom, emphasizing the book’s warning against government tyranny, but warns that unchecked corporate power can create "a road to serfdom" as well.
    • Notable Quote (53:26):

      "What if I told you that we could have a road to serfdom that also has corporations dominating us, not government dominating us?"

• Current Risks: Corporatist Oligarchy
  • Warns that conservative inaction cedes power to a "corporatist agenda" dominated by corporate interests and a "shadow parallel government" located in Silicon Valley.
  • Cites real-world examples of service denials (e.g., Wells Fargo shutting down a Republican candidate’s bank account).
  • Urges conservative voters to pressure their leaders to use political power to reign in Big Tech and defend natural rights.
    • Notable Quote (57:03):

      "Either we are going to use the political power given to us by voters to restrain big tech...or we're going to be squeezed by both and they'll fight over the spoils."

Memorable Quotes

• On Abstract Ideology vs. Reality (15:50):

  "All of the tragedy of the Soviet Union happened thanks to ideology, where you have a group of people that care more to their commitment to an abstraction than what's good for the well being of the citizens around them."
  – Charlie Kirk

• On the Power of Big Tech (30:18):

  "They represent a power structure that quite honestly is more powerful than the own federal government that we give our power and pay our taxes to."
  – Charlie Kirk

• On the Need for Political Will (57:03):

  "Either we are going to use the political power given to us by voters to restrain big tech...or we're going to be squeezed by both and they'll fight over the spoils."
  – Charlie Kirk

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00-07:45 – Opening remarks and NYC election setup
• 07:45-20:00 – In-depth critique of ranked choice voting and election mismanagement in NYC
• 20:00-27:00 – Reflections on New York’s political shift, ideology, and decline
• 30:00-35:00 – Examination of Big Tech’s power and constitutional concerns
• 37:15-43:00 – Discussion of Florida social media law and Facebook’s political activity
• 43:00-47:30 – Facebook’s ‘extremism’ pop-ups and language as a tool of control
• 47:30-53:25 – Legal analogies and arguments against tech sector monopoly
• 53:25-59:00 – Conservative resistance, Hayek’s influence, and the need for action

Final Thoughts

Charlie Kirk concludes by urging conservative individuals and leaders to reevaluate their reluctance to challenge Big Tech, warning that failure to act will allow both governmental and corporate entities to "crush" the rights and freedoms of ordinary Americans. He emphasizes grassroots activism and political pressure as the only remaining checks on this parallel power structure.

Useful for Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

This summary provides a detailed account of Charlie Kirk's arguments and concerns about the current state of American politics, elections, and the outsized influence of Big Tech, along with his call to action for the Republican Party and conservative citizens. Key topics include ranked choice voting troubles in NYC, the apparent invulnerability of tech giants, and the philosophical roadblocks that prevent conservatives from pursuing meaningful regulation. The episode is especially relevant for those interested in free speech debates, election integrity discussions, and the internal dynamics of the modern conservative movement.