Crony Corporatism California Style

Silicon Valley Investor Joins The Corporatism March

Throw this into the pile with Richard Branson's Plan B for Capitalism, and the Clinton's Public-Private Partnership initiatives.

Enter Ron Conway, a Silicon Valley angel investor, who has backed many of the tech companies that we know and love. Ironically, one of his investments is the tech company Fashism.

Conway wrote a piece for Techcrunch where he's calling for the other Fascism. Remember the Fascist Mussolini from Italy. It was he who said, "Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power."

Conway wants in.

He writes:

"As the tech industry continues to grow its footprint in San Francisco, its leaders have a responsibility to help improve the city for all of its residents. The tech sector is uniquely qualified to give back and invest in our community because its entrepreneurs have the ability to use resources within their companies to improve the lives of San Franciscans."

You can't call for corporatism without the trusty "give back" hook. Evidently tech companies just take money from people. The other side to the trade doesn't exist! All the iPhones, iPads, laptops, desktops, and people facebooking are nothing but an illusion.

"Gone are the days when the tech community can innovate and run their businesses in spite of government. As we saw with the SOPA/PIPA debate, public policy has a direct and significant impact on startups and the investors who support them.

Whether it is regulations that stifle innovation or tax policies that hinder job creation, government has a major role in the success or failure of a startup. It is critically important for the tech community to engage in public policy."

In other words, government has been nothing but a parasite and stifler of progress, but the days of avoiding it are now gone. Conway says that it's time to play ball like Rand Paul.

He then describes how the organization that he started, sf.citi, is galloping into the arms of the State, looking for a nice warm spot to nestle in.

Conway closes with a Clintonian call-to-arms:

"The future of our city depends on partnerships. Government cannot do it alone and business, non-profits, and citizens need to play a role in developing solutions to historic problems facing our community...The tech ecosystem depends on sound public policy that nurtures innovation and creates more jobs."

Yes, I double checked, and you did read it correctly -- "public policy that nurtures innovation".

Unfortunately, Conway has been sucked in. If the rest of Silicon Valley were to follow (let's hope they don't) then the spectacular tech renaissance that we've experienced over the last several decades will come to a sad end.

The State will be able to put yet another notch into its belt.