Thomas Friedman's New York Times column introduces the idea of a "Waymo Democrat," emphasizing the potential of robotaxis to drive advanced manufacturing in America. He argues that this burgeoning industry can create labor-intensive jobs, giving the U.S. an advantage over China. Friedman's piece humorously critiques traditional political labels while calling for a modern approach to industrial policy. He also controversially praises figures like Bernie Sanders, despite calling them lazy, reflecting a complicated relationship with current progressives and their ideals.
Friedman describes his ideal television advertising campaign, an em dash-laden riff on Donald Trump's anti-trans ad campaign from 2024. He writes: "Trump is for he/him - his grievances, his revenge, his corruption - and for bringing old stuff back 'again,' like coal and gasoline cars. Waymo Democrats are for 'We the People' and reinventing American industry anew."
In Wednesday's edition, Friedman spent 1,400 words lauding the spread of robotaxis as a perfect "moonshot project to spur advanced manufacturing in America."
Friedman posits that orienting policy toward the buildup of robotaxis like Google's Waymo is an ideal way to create more advanced manufacturing jobs, because the industry is growing and because its technology requires lots of complex - i.e., labor-intensive - parts.
It's a bizarre piece. Friedman praises Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, then calls them lazy. He suggests the government should make law firms do pro bono work for artificial intelligence startups.
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