Presidents Roosevelt and Taft – both Republicans – worked “as stewards of the public welfare” to check the power of huge corporations by supporting anti-trust legislation. These two men were both willing to argue with members of their own party about the role of government in controlling companies that abused their power. Together, they transformed the role of government. Today, I think about the rising influence of social media giants, and I wonder if there will be a new champion who is capable of leading a debate about the role of regulation in an industry that’s less than twenty years old.
Goodwin, Doris Kearns. The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism. Simon & Schuster, 2013. p. 299.
Great book suggestion-! This turn of the century industrial revolution era in our history is really fascinating and provides insight into our current situation of big tech. Your book selection re Teddy Roosevelt should be tempered with reading the book “Rebel Cinderella” by Adam Hoschild about Rose Pastor Stokes, an Russian immigrant Jew who jalso lived in this era. She came from nothing to become a wealthy and powerful advocate for workers in the sweatshops and mines. She was not a Teddy Roosevelt fan and was a big opponent of WWI. I highly recommend this book.