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What you need to know about Arkansas' 2022 Primary Elections

Updated: 2:28 PM CST Jan 28, 2022

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NEWS ON THE RECORD OVER THE LAST. FEW WEEKS. WEVE HAD THE CHANCE TO HEAR FROMUR O CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FOR THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS. THEYRE NOT COMING UP UNTIL NOVEMBER, BUT WE DO HAVE THE PRIMARIES COMING UP IN JUST A FEW SHORT MONTHS JOINING US NOW IS JENNIFER PRICE. SHE IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECRTO OF THE WASHINGTON COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION AND JENNIFER BEFORE THE MIDTERMS AND EVEN THE PRIMARIES WE HAVE THE FILGIN PERIOD COMING UP GIVE US A RUNDOWN OF HOW THAT PERIOD GOES WHEN IT IS DAN WHAT WE CAN SEE COME OUT OF THE FILING PERIOD SO THE FILING PERIOD STARTS FEBRUARY THE 22ND AND IT RUNS FORNE O WEEK. IT ENDS ON MCHAR 1ST AT NOON. SO WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES FOR CANDIDATES TO FILE ANYONE WHOS RUNNING FOR A FEDERAL OR STATE OFFICE OR NON-PARTISAN JUDICIAL OFFICE WI LL FILE IN LITTLE ROCK SO THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PROCEDURES IN LITTLE ROCK, BUT IF Y'ORE RUNNING FOR A COUNTY OFFICE OR A SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE, YOU ACTUALLY WILL FILE IN YOUR LOCAL COUNTY CLERKS OFFICE. DURING THAT SAME WEEK PEODRI AND IS THERE A FEE FOR THE FILING PERIOD TREHE ARE FEES FOR THE FILING PERIOTHD OSE ARE SET BY THE POLITICAL PARTIES AND IT DEPENDS ON THE OFFEIC YOU RUN FOR AND SOMETIMES IT EVEN DEPENDS ON THE COUNTY THAT YOU RUNN I AND THE POLITICAL PARTY THAT YOURE RUNNING FOR. SO EACH OF THOSE CANDIDATES ARE PLANNING ON FILING. IM SURE HA,VE YOU KNOW CONSULDTE WITH THEIR POLITICAL PARTIES AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE FILINGEE FS ARE NOW FOR NONPARTISAN JUDICIAL OFFICES. THEY DO HAVE AN OPTION TO PAY A FILING FEE OR THEY HAVE AN OPTION TO ACTUALLY GATHER. PICTURESND A TO FILE BY PETITION HI, JENNIFER, WHEN ARE THE MIDTERMS AND HOW DOES THAT WORK IN ARKANSAS? RFO EXAMPLE, CAN SOMEONE VOTE FOR BHOT THE DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES AND PKIC THEIR CANDIDATES FOR BOTH PARTIES? SO THE MIDTERM ELECTION IS MAY 24TH. WE ALSO HAVE TWO WEEKS OF EARLY VOTING WHICHTA SRTS MAY 9TH WE DO HAVE WHAT IS CALLED AN OPEN PRIMARY SYSTEM, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU DO NOT HEAV TO BE REGISTERED AS A DEMOCRAT OR PUBLICANR O AN INDEPENDENT OR WHATEVER OTHER POLITICAL PARTY WILL HE AAV PRIMARY WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO SECTLE WHICH BALLOT THAT YOU NT OWAN ELECTION DAY, BUT YOU DONT HAVEHE T OPTION OF VOTING FOR A OSCRS BALLOT. SO FOR INSTANCE, YOU HAVE TO CHSEOO A DEMOCRATIC OR REPUBLICAN BALLOT, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN ONLY VOTE ON THOSE PRIMARY CANDIDATES AND THEN OF COURSE IS THE NONPTIARSAN AND THE OR CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT AS WELL, BUT THOSE ARE ON BOTH POLITICAL BALLOTS AS WELL AS THERES A NONPERSON BALLOT WHIT JUST THE NON-PARTISAN CANDIDATES AND THE SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES. SO ITS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER YOU KNOW THAT YOU DONT HEAV TO BE REGISTERED WITH A POLITICAL PARTY THAT ON ELECTION DAY. WE ARE ASKINGOU Y WHAT BALLOT YOU WANTOT N HOW YOUR REGISTERED TO VOTEND A MOST VOTERS ARE ACTUALLY REGISTERED ASPT OIONAL WHICH MEANS THAT THEY HAVE NOT DECLARED A POLITICAL PARTY. OKAY, KNOW WHEN YOU ASK FOR A BAOTLL YOU CAN DO IT ELYAR VOTING ABSENTEE VOTING OR THEYRE ON ELECTION DAY, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. SO WE HAVE ABSENTEE VOTING AND YOU KNOW, WEAW S A LARGER INCREASE OF ABSENTEE VOTING THAN 2020. WE DO EXPECT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, A LARGE NUMBER OF ABSENTEE. IN 2022 NOT QUITE THE SEAM NUMBERS. WE SAW IN 2020 AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE THE IN-PERSON VOTING FOR TWO WEEKS FOR EARLY VOTING AND THEN ON ELECTION DAY, BUT YES, YOU MUST DECLARE WHICH BALLOT YOU WANT. WE ARE NOT ASKING WHICH PARTY BELONG TO AND IN FACT ONCE THIS SELECTION IS OVER WHEN YOU GET TO THE GENERAL ELECTION, THATS WHERE YOULL SEE THE CANDIDATES ATTH WON THEIR PRIMARIES ON ONE SINGLE BALLOT NOW. YOU TALKED ABOUT THE RISE IN ABSENTEE VOTING. IS IT BECAUSEF O COVID-19 OR MAYBE SOME CHANGES TO LAWS? WHY ARE WE SEEING THAT SURGEON ABSENTEE VOTING AND DOE W EXPECT IT TO CONTINUE ON? SO WE DEFINITELY SAW RISE IN ABSENTEE VOTING DURING 2020 BECAUSE OF COVID-19, YOU KNOW, WE HAD ABOUT A 12% OF NUMBER FOR ABSENTEE VOTING WHICH IS MHUC LARGER THAN THE TYPICAL ONE TO VEFI PERCENT THAT WE HAVE FOR PRIMARY OR GENERAL ELECTION. NOW BACK TO 40/29 NEWS ON THE RECORD ORVE THE LAST FEW WEEKS. WEVE HAD THE CHANCE TO HEAR FROM OUR CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FOR THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS. THEYREOT N COMING UP UNTIL NOVEMBER, BUT WE DO HAVE THE PRIMARIES COMING UP AND JUST A FEW SHORT MONTHS JOINING US NOW IS JENNIFER PRICE. SHE IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WASHINGTON COUNTY ELECTION. STATION AND JENNIFER BEFOREHE T MIDTERMS AND EVEN THE PRIMARIES WE HAVE THE FILING PERIOD COMING UP GIVE US A RUNWNDO OF HOW THAT PERIOD GOES WHEN IT IS AND WHAT WE CAN SEE COME OUT OF THE FILING PERIOD SO THE FILING PEODRI STARTS FEBRUARY THE 22ND AND IT RUNS FOR ONE WEEK. IT ENDS ON MARCH 1ST THAT NOON SO WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES FOR CANDIDATES TO FILE ANY. IS RUNNING FOR A FEDERAL OR STATE OFFICE OR NONPARTISAN JUDICIAL OFFICE WILL FILE IN LITTLE ROCK SO THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PROCEDURES IN LITTLE ROCK, BU T IF YOURE RUNNING FOR A COUNTY OFFICE OR A SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE, YOU ACTUALLY WILL FILE IN YOUR LOC CALOUNTY CLERKS OFFICE DURING THAT SAME WEEK PERIOD AND IS TREHE A FEE FOR THE FILING PERDIO SO THERE ARE FEESOR F THE FILING PERIOD THOSE ARE SET BY THE POLITICAL PARTIES AND IT DEPDSEN ON THE OFFICE YOU RUN FOR AND SOMETIMES IT EVEN DEPENDS ON THE COUNTY THATOU Y RUN IN AND THE POLITICAL PARTY ATTH YOURE RUNNING FOR. SO EACH OF THOSE CANDIDATES HERE PLANNING ON FILING. IM SURE HAVE, YOU KNOW CONSULTED WITH THEIR POLITICAL PARTIES AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE FILGIN FEES ARE NOWOR F NON-PERSON JUDICIAL OFFICES. THEY DO HEAV AN OPTION TO PAY A FILING FEE OR THEY HAVE AN OPTION TO ACTUALLY GATHER. TEACHERS AND TO FILE BY PETITION I HAD JENNIFER WHENRE A THE MIDTERMS AND HOW DOES THAT WKOR IN ARKANSAS? FOR EXAMPLE, CAN SOMEONE VOTE FOR BOTH THE DEMOCRATIC AND REBLPUICAN PRIMARIES AND PICK THEIR CANDIDATES FOR BOTH PARTIES? SO THE MIDTERM ELECTION IS MAY 24TH. WE ALSO HAVE TWO WEEKS OF ELYAR VOTING WHICH STARTS MAY 9TH WE DO HAVE WHAT IS CALLED AN OPEN PRIMARY SYSTEM, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE REGISTERED AS A DEMOCRAT OR PUBLICAN OR AN INDEPENDENT OR WHATEVER OTHER POLITICAL PARTY WILL HAVE A PRIMARY WHICH ALLSOW YOU TO SELECT WHICH BALLOT THAT YOU WANT ON ELECTION DAY, BUT YOU DONT HAVE THE OPTNIO OF VOTING FOR A CROSS BALLOT. SO FOR INSTANCE, YOU HAVEO T CHOOSE A DEMOCRATIC OR REPUBLICAN BALLOT, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN ONLY VEOT ON THOSE PRIMARY CANDIDATES AND TNHE OF COURSE IS THE NONPARTISAN AND THE SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT AS WELL. BUT THOSE ARE ON BOTH POLITALIC BALLOTS AS WELLS A THERES A NON-PERSON BALLOT WITH JUST THE NON-PERSON CANDIDATES AND THE SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES. SO ITS IMPORTTAN TO REMEMBER YOU KNOW THAT YOU DONT HAVE TO BE REGISTERED WITH A POLITICAL PARTY THAT ON ELECTION DAY. WE ARE ASKING BALLOTOU Y WANT NOT HOW YOUR REGISTERED TO VOTE AND MOST VOTERS ARE ACTUALLY REGISTERED AS OPTIONAL WHICH MEANS THATHE TY HAVE NOT DECLARED A POLITICAL PARTY. OK,AY SO IM WHEN YOU ASK FOR A BALLOT YOU CAN DO IT EARLY VOTING ABSENTEE VOTING OR THEYRE ON ELECTION DAY, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. SO WE HAVE ABSENTEE VOTING AND YOU KNOW, WE SAW A LARGER INCREASEF O ABSENTEE VOTING THAN 2020. WE DO EXCTPE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, A LARGE NUMBER OF ABSENTEE VOTING IN 2022 NOT QUITE THE SAME NUMBERS. WE SAW IN 2020 AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVEHE T IN-PERSON VOTING FOR TWO WEEKS FOR EARLY VOTING AND THEN ON ELECTIO DNAY, BUT YES, YOU MUST DECRELA WHICH BALLOT YOU WANT. WE ARE NOT ASKING WHICH PARTY BENGLO TO AND IN FACT ONCE THIS ELECTION IS OVER WHEN YOUET G TO THE GENERAL ELECTION, THATS WHEER YOULL SEE THE CANDIDATES THAT WON THEIR PRIMARIES ON ONE SINGLE BALLOT. NOW YOU TALDKE ABOUT THE RISE IN ABSENTEE VOTING. IS IT BECAUSE OF COVID-19 OR MAEYB SOME CHANGES TO LAWS? WHY ARE WE SEEING THAT SURGEON ABSENTEE VOTING AND DO WE EXPECT IT TO CONTINUE ON? SO WE DEFINITELY SAW RISE IN ABSENTEE VOTING DURING 2020 BECAUSE OF COVID-19, YOU KNOW, WE HAD ABOUT A 12% OF NUMBER FOR ABSENTEE VOTING WHICH IS MUCH LARGER THAN THE TYPICAL ONE TO FIVE PERCENT THATE W HAVE FOR PRIMARY OR GENERALLE ECTION. WE DONT EXPECT TO SEE THAT 12% THIS YEAR, BUT WE DO EXPECT TO SEE A LARGERUMBER N OF PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ABSENTEE VOTING BECAUSE AS LONG AS UYO FOLLOW ALL OF THE PROCEDURES WHICH ANMES THAT YOU FILLUT O YOUR VOTER STATEMENT CORRECTLY YOU PROVIDE A PHOTOCOPYF O YOUR FOOD PHOTO ID AND YOU MEAK SURE THAT YOU SIGN AND RETNUR THE ABSENTEE BALLOT IN TIME. IT IS ACTUALLY VERY EASY WAY FOR VOTERS TO VOTE WHO ARE UNABLE TO BE AT THE POLLS DURING EARLY VOTING ON OUR ELECTION DAY, BUT WHAT WE DID SEE WAS AN INCREASE IN EARLY VOTING WE WENT FROM 50% EARLY VOTE BACK IN 2018 TO 65% EARLY VOTEN I 2020. WE DO EXPECTT THA TO TREND TO CONTINUE BECSEAU EARLY VOTING IS POPULAR. ITS CONVENIENT. ITS FOR AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF METI AND WE HAVE SEVERAL LOCATIONS OPEN ACROSS WASHINGTON COUNTY. YEAH. I' AN EARLY VOTER. SO, ALL RIGHT JENNIFER PRICE. WERE GOINGO T BE BACK WITH MORE QU

What you need to know about Arkansas' 2022 Primary Elections

Updated: 2:28 PM CST Jan 28, 2022

In 2022, Arkansans will cast their ballots to choose new local officials and representatives to congress along with a new governor and lieutenant governor.Primary ElectionsArkansas' primaries will be held in May.The Democratic and Republican Parties of Arkansas will hold primaries to select their nominees on May 24, 2022. To vote in these primaries, you need to be registered before April 24, 2022. Early voting will begin on May 9, 2022.You can vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary, not both. You will be asked to select a party ballot when you arrive at the polling place.The Libertarian Party of Arkansas will hold a convention in early 2022 to select its nominee.Independent candidates are not running with a party and are not subject to primaries or conventions.Big RacesSeveral candidates are running to replace Asa Hutchinson as governor of Arkansas. Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is the only declared candidate on the Republican side, but several other candidates have announced. Follow this link to learn about the candidates for governor.The situation is reversed in the race for lieutenant governor. Six Republicans but only one Democrat, Kelly Krout, is running.General ElectionTo vote in the general election, you must be registered by Oct. 10, 2022.Voting begins Oct. 24, 2022, and lasts through Election Day on Nov. 8, 2022.If runoffs are needed, they will be held in December.

In 2022, Arkansans will cast their ballots to choose new local officials and representatives to congress along with a new governor and lieutenant governor.

Arkansas' primaries will be held in May.

The Democratic and Republican Parties of Arkansas will hold primaries to select their nominees on May 24, 2022. To vote in these primaries, you need to be registered before April 24, 2022. Early voting will begin on May 9, 2022.

You can vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary, not both. You will be asked to select a party ballot when you arrive at the polling place.

The Libertarian Party of Arkansas will hold a convention in early 2022 to select its nominee.

Independent candidates are not running with a party and are not subject to primaries or conventions.

Several candidates are running to replace Asa Hutchinson as governor of Arkansas. Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is the only declared candidate on the Republican side, but several other candidates have announced.

Follow this link to learn about the candidates for governor.

The situation is reversed in the race for lieutenant governor. Six Republicans but only one Democrat, Kelly Krout, is running.

To vote in the general election, you must be registered by Oct. 10, 2022.

Voting begins Oct. 24, 2022, and lasts through Election Day on Nov. 8, 2022.

If runoffs are needed, they will be held in December.

Read this article:
What you need to know about Arkansas' 2022 Primary Elections - 4029tv

The loudest voices warning against American military involvement if Russia invades Ukraine belong to populist conservatives. On his nightly Fox News show, Tucker Carlson regularly demands an explanation of what vital U.S. interest is served by intervening in the conflict. "We have no dog in the Ukraine fight. Not one American soldier should die there, and not one American bullet should be fired there," said Rep. Paul Gosar, a controversial Arizona Republican. Hillbilly Elegy author and Ohio GOP Senate candidate J.D. Vance tweeted, "Billions spent on the Kennedy School, grand strategies seminars, and the Georgetown School of Foreign Service has bought us an elite that's about to blunder us into a Ukraine war."

When Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), the type of libertarian-leaning conservative one can usually count on to balk at foreign military adventures, wrote that "Ukraine should not and cannot be our problem to solve," Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) tweeted simply, "Agree!"

These Republicans and their allies tend to be close to former President Trump, or at least his attempted redefinition of the party's priorities. They may, for that reason, be able to reach the GOP rank-and-file in a way the party's intervention skeptics have sometimes struggled to do in the past.

But that could also make it harder to have the kind of left-right coalition that existed at the margins of the Iraq war debate and passed a resolution to stop U.S. involvement in the war in Yemen. Trump vetoed it, but top allies like Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and then-Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), his final White House chief of staff, voted with Congress' leading progressives to advance the measure.

Progressives never liked Trump, and they like Republicans who continue to defend "the former guy" after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot even less. Liberal attitudes about Russia hardened after the Kremlin's election interference in 2016, though the most extreme reactions to this meddling were practically in "stop the steal" territory.

"We need to stop calling this 'isolationism,'" liberal Washington Post blogger Greg Sargent wrote. "Tucker is pulling the GOP base toward Putinism."

The U.S. probably won't end up at war over Russia-Ukraine this time around, though escalation begets more escalation. If Ukraine joined NATO, the risk would increase. Could populists and progressives work together to stop it? Early results aren't encouraging.

Continued here:
A liberal-populist conservative alliance on Ukraine? - The Week Magazine

Far-right platform Gab is sponsoring white nationalist Nick Fuentes conference. The move has proved controversial for both parties. Many of Gabs donors are claiming that theyll no longer fund the platform.

Gab founder Andrew Torba announced Monday that his platform will sponsor the upcoming America First Political Action Conference (AFPAC). AFPAC is Fuentes extremist alternative to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

Everyone who will be going is a member of this website, promotes Christian values, openly proclaims the name of Jesus Christ, and promotes America First political objectives, candidates, and members of Congress, Torba wrote on Gab.

He claimed to desire unity among conservatives then proceeded to slam CPAC and Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirks group for young conservatives. CPAC is sponsored by Facebook and Google among other billionaires, Torba added. TPUSA is sponsored by atheist libertarian billionaires.

Facebook and Google were last reported to sponsor CPAC in 2018. Its not clear who Torbas accusing of being atheist libertarian billionaires, though its possible hes referring to Charles Koch. Koch is a billionaire, TPUSA sponsor, and has described his views as libertarian. In 2017, the Wall Street Journal reported that hes not religious.

Gab is a notorious haven for the far-right. Antisemitism and racism are common. Torba often boasts that hateful ideas are welcome on his platform.

Torbas embrace couldnt come at a better time for Fuentes. The far-right figure who launched his public persona by claiming he was leaving college after being threatened for attending the Unite the Right rally has found himself increasingly unwelcome online. His recent permanent suspension from Gettr followed bans by more mainstream platforms where hed built his audience.

The partnership is also arguably beneficial to Gab, which is struggling to compete in a crowded far-right social media landscape.

Gab sponsoring AFPAC follows its partnership with Fuentes streaming service. Alex Kaplan of Media Matters for America reported on Monday that Torba may even help Fuentes monetize it.

The move generated controversy for both parties, however. Fuentes posts about the partnership were riddled with comments trolling him.

Many pointed out that Fuentes has recently made scathing statements about Gab users, including calling them fucking r*****ed.

Youve openly degraded Gab and its users, commented one. Especially straights and women. Fuck off.

Fuentes comments include a call for Gab to ban women from the platform.

Many of Torbas followers also criticized him for embracing Fuentes, whose extremism proved a bridge too far for them.

You are aligning Gab with a movement that wants to shut up the very people who helped your platform grow in the last year, wrote one.

People who claimed to be among Gabs sponsors said that they would stop donating if he persisted with plans to sponsor AFPAC.

I didnt agree to help fund AF, wrote one. I agreed to help fund Gab, but if this is where my money ends up, I am ending that agreement. They added that this is something that should have been discussed with the Gab community beforehand, as we are the main reason Gab has $20K to throw around.

Its not publicly known what Torbas sponsorship entails, but several people implied that hed given Fuentes money.

Torbas critics included Islamophobic figure Laura Loomer. Loomer was outraged by Fuentes posting that he trusts Gab because its run by a faithful Christian. And not some Judeo-Christian either, a Christian.

On Tuesday, Loomer, who is Jewish, wrote multiple Telegram posts blasting Fuentes and Torba. She said that shes long supported Gab, Torba, and even Fuentes, and noted that she attended and promoted AFPAC last year.

The idea that you cant trust someone who is Jewish is quite absurd, Loomer wrote of Fuentes post about Christians versus Judeo-Christians. (Judeo-Christian is merely a term that notes that Christianity is derived from Judaism, as evidenced both by Jesus Christ being Jewish and its use of Jewish scripture in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.)

In another post, Loomer wrote, Does Andrew just want to create a terms of service that says no Jews allowed?

Am I not welcome simply because Im Jewish, even though I have always supported Gab, Ive been a friend to Andrew Torba and Nick, and Im America First? she added.

The criticisms grew loud enough that Torba weighed in. True to form, his stance was defiant.

Controversy is attention. Attention is influence, Torba posted on Tuesday amid the blowback.

The point of marketing is to influence people to get off Big Tech and get on Gab. In order to do that I need their attention.

*First Published: Jan 25, 2022, 1:37 pm CST

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Gab users are furious after its CEO announces partnership with notorious white nationalist - The Daily Dot

-OpEd-

PARIS The first bricks of the internet emerged in post-World War II California at the crossroads of a double ideology: military and libertarian, based on the virtues of decentralization. It was all about inventing a network infrastructure that was resilient to targeted attacks. It also allowed for individuals to be emancipated through a new set of capabilities, including in communication, interaction and learning, facilitated through a microcomputer.

The central authority a state or a server that overly centralized information and computing capacities are absent from this decentralized architecture. It guarantees individual freedom, freedom of creation and freedom of expression on the internet. The networking of individuals can also produce new collective dynamics. It is still this framework and these principles that underlie the production and consumption of popular services that the vast majority of us use.

However, for the last 15 years or so and with the advent of Web2, the digitization of social dynamics and their commoditization have made large social media platforms far less healthy. In a way, they are undermining the founding mission by drastically re-centralizing access and content.

Obviously, these companies provide many services to users: e-commerce, ad infinitum, ever more efficient services to find what we are looking for and even what we are not looking for , and entertainment to the point of saturation. But above all, they are increasingly watertight ecosystems, very widely monetizing personal data and stealing our attention in a way that makes us very dependent on these major players. And then, the announcement of Facebook and its metaverse. In no way should we be happy about this despite the promises of economic growth, investment and massive recruitment.

What has led the big digital service providers to hegemonic positions is largely due to their singular business model. It is often based on free access and its counterpart is an organization of exchanges that prioritizes intermediation and the platform. The network effects that are then produced are powerful attractors that reinforce any acquired position to the detriment of newcomers. Consumers lose freedom of choice between sites but gain a depth of content on these platforms.

However, all users today have preferences that can still be expressed through various sites. So, we don't (yet) connect virtually via the same platform we use to buy books and we don't look for a job where we entertain ourselves. Not yet. With the metaverse, it will be about connecting to an overlay that comes on top of the services and platforms we are used to. In this sense, we are talking about a meta-platform model, a platform of platforms where all interactions love, trade, food, professional, educational, etc could be aggregated in one place.

On the side of the private players, the battle rages for the spot of "winner takes all". Facebook is clearly a leader with the Meta rebranding, but Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Apple, to name a few, all have similar projects. As there is little chance that the avatars of metaverses will be interoperable or transportable, then as for the smartphone, users will evolve in one and only one universe: the one with the strongest network effect. Let's remember that this aggregation of behaviors, which remains unprecedented, comes with the promise of a formidable capture of personal data, including our most intimate information.

So is this a problem? In terms of digital sovereignty, the stakes are high. In terms of individual freedom, it is unprecedented if tomorrow a metaverse becomes dominant. In terms of the authority of the public and the state, it is a profound reimagining of this role, since monetary exchanges, education and work relations could be organized outside of official institutions. This hyper-centralization of exchanges is therefore the antithesis of the utopias of the internet pioneers, even if it corresponds in every way to libertarian principles: the disappearance of the state.

What are the alternatives? At this stage, we see two. First, we must urgently evaluate the stakes at play even if none of political leaders seem to grasp what they are. We must plead for the opening of these meta platforms. Now more than ever, the metaverse must be an open and transparent world, in its code and in its algorithm. It is therefore urgent that competition law moves in this direction.

Secondly, we must call for a re-decentralization of the web as advocated by one of the founding fathers, Tim Berners Lee, with his d-web initiative. A web3 is still possible, based on blockchain, cryptomarkets, NFTs and peer-to-peer exchanges. The initiatives are still fragmented and difficult to access for the general public. Nevertheless, this is an area we need to prioritize in order to guarantee sovereignty and individual liberties.

Raphal Suire is a professor in economics and innovation management at the IAE of Nantes University in France.

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The Metaverse Will Make All That's Bad With The Internet Worse - Worldcrunch

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. This well-known quote, popularly attributed to Einstein, remains relevant today.

Today, all Americans are coerced, embarrassed or otherwise influenced into one of two old political parties, which is absurd for a diverse nation of more than 330 million people. How many flavors of ice cream are there? How many brands of beer? Styles of vehicles? Music artists? A plethora of choices exists for every comfort or trivial pursuit, yet we seem to have accepted that only two political parties are sufficient to make decisions that affect all of us.

Whether out of fear or resigned to our situation, so many of us have voted for the lesser of two evils, each time hoping and praying for a different outcome. Regardless of which old party wins, we can all count on one thing: They are going to outspend the already agreed upon bloated budget.

According to Balance (www.thebalance.com/us-debt-by-president-by-dollar-and-percent), Bush incurred $5.85 trillion, Obama $8.6 trillion and Trump $6.7 trillion of national debt. Youd think they would have to ask the peoples permission to incur debt. Every American now owes $89,700, and that number climbs every second (usdebtclock.org). Are you getting your moneys worth?

To make matters worse, we all have to work further into the year in order to (mostly) fill the ever-growing budget. According to the Tax Foundation, (taxfoundation.org/publications/tax-freedom-day), in 2017 the average American worker had to work until April 23 to pay for their pound of flesh to the government. In 2020, it was May 1. And who benefits from this runaway spending? The average American doesnt, but corporate donors and special interests continue to prosper.

What happens if you decide not to participate in this scheme by not paying your taxes? Asset forfeiture, paycheck forfeiture and jail time. Its forced labor to pay for forced indebtedness, historically known as peonage. Peonage, along with slavery and indentured servitude, was outlawed with the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment.

A solution does exist, and Alaska can lead the way. With open primaries and ranked choice voting in the 2022 election, Alaskans can vote without fear. We can vote for the person we want, not against a party we dont. No longer is it a choice between the lesser of two evils.

Neither political party has the right to enslave our children and grandchildren through their inability or lack of will to address the massive and growing national debt. Alaska needs a representative that wont trade away our future for federal payouts today. A representative who will work to break the cycle of cronyism in D.C. Dont hope and pray for a better outcome, demand one by breaking away from the old parties that perpetuate the problem. Its time Alaska. Chris Bye is a libertarian candidate for congress.

Chris Bye is a libertarian candidate for Congress.

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Break the cycle of failure and debt in 2022 - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner