Let Them Burn It Down

Trump’s Clown Car, Big Tech Battles, and the Chaos We Deserve

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably noticed the uproar over Donald Trump’s nominees for various cabinet positions. Even some Republicans must realize that most—if not all—are uniquely unqualified, if not outright dangerous. But comedian and sage, John Stewart, had the perfect analysis. These miscreants aren’t being chosen to run an agency. They are chosen to dismantle it. The poster child for this cluster, Matt Gaetz, has dropped out, eliminating the most egregious contender. But the clown car isn’t empty; others are eagerly waiting their turn to help burn it all down. Pam Bondi, come on down!

And for the MAGA faithful, that’s exactly the point. As I’ve written before, I understand the sentiment. Congress is broken, and people—myself included—want solutions. Amid all the handwringing on the left, I find liberal icon Bill Press’s recent op-ed in The Hill to offer the most compelling course of action. Press advocates for confirming all of Trump’s picks—even the worst of the worst. Why?

“Because that’s what the American people voted for,” he writes. “They knew what they were getting in Donald Trump: a second term built on revenge against his political opponents, carried out by sycophants who are loyal to nobody or nothing but him. That’s what he promised. That’s what they wanted. That’s what they got. Who are we to stand in their way?”

As my friend Eric Feinberg likes to say, “We get what we deserve.”

Despite my frustration with this lineup of wingnuts, one nominee did catch my attention—for the right reason: Brendan Carr, Trump’s pick for the FCC. On paper, Carr’s involvement in Project 2025 should cast doubt on his credibility. But his desire to rein in Big Tech made me pause.

Carr has argued that the FCC should restrict immunity under Section 230, the law that protects tech companies from liability when users post libelous content. He also wants to curb these platforms’ ability to “censor protected speech while maintaining their Section 230 protections.” I’ll admit, the first part excites me. The second part? Not so much. It reeks of the same tired grievance I’ve heard since testifying before the Ted Cruz-chaired Senate Judiciary Committee, where Republicans whined about alleged conservative censorship. It was bullshit then, and it’s bullshit now—especially when Elon Musk has turned social media into a safe space for these so-called free-speech warriors.

If you’ve followed my advocacy, you know how I feel about the FTC and Congress. So, if Carr can deliver Section 230 reform, I’d gladly take the trade-off. Let me have my day in court. As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, and right now that friend is certainly not Lina Khan, the FTC, or Congress.

So, sure—let’s burn it all down and see if this MAGA circus can actually bring about meaningful change. I doubt it’ll amount to anything more than chaos, but what the hell.

As Bill Press suggests: bring it on. The uglier, the better. Then let the reckoning begin in 2026.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, everyone.