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On January 16, the second thing: 18 former European presidents and prime ministers published a powerful letter calling for the European Commission, the executive arm of the 27 countries in the European Union (EU), to break up Google, directly targeting its heavily monopolized advertising business.
“The consolidation of power over vital tech platforms jeopardizes our independence and undermines efforts to enforce our laws,” the statement said. They recommend a breakup, plus a “European tech deal” to reclaim control over critical digital infrastructure on which we all depend.
Hundreds of millions of Europeans and Americans stand shoulder to shoulder in the same fight here against, in this case, Google. Indeed, US and European regulators have been collaborating closely in the last few years on taming Big Tech. The problem now, of course, is a wrecking ball called [new U.S. President Donald] Trump.
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The key is to reframe this fast-evolving story of economic conflict, not as a fight between “The United States” and “Europe”—or even between right and left. No, what is unfolding is a global conflict between ordinary people everywhere, standing shoulder to shoulder against the globalized billionaires and oligarchs.
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In some forums it seems that they still think (with the same error as in 2016) that Trump is a temporary blunder unrelated to the voting population. Trump is a product of the society that elected him. In 2016, it could be argued that without the popular vote, even that mirage has been shattered.
There are many good people who love democracy, freedom and justice in the US, but also in Iran, and they are a minority there as well.