Governments around the world began trying to bring the Internet under control as soon as they realized the danger to their power represented by unfettered public access to, and exchange of, information. From attempts to suppress strong encryption technology to the Communications Decency Act in the US and China's "Great Firewall," such efforts have generally proven ineffectual. But things are changing, and not for the better.

In Florida's November 2018 election, voters approved the following amendment to their state's constitution:

"Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, any disqualification from voting arising from a felony conviction shall terminate and voting rights shall be restored upon completion of all terms of sentence including parole or probation. (b) No person convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense shall be qualified to vote until restoration of civil rights."

In the film version of "Forrest Gump" (but not, if memory serves, in the novel), Forrest's mother tries to convince the local elementary-school principal that her son belongs at  his local elementary-school rather than at an institution for what we would now call "special needs" students. The two reach an understanding on Mrs Gump's remarkably squeaky bed while Forrest waits on the front porch.

For a "progressive" presidential candidate, US Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is remarkably, well, conservative. Her proposals are neither new nor of the "democratic socialist" variety. In fact, her aim is, as Matthew Yglesias puts it at Vox, "to save capitalism" with stock-proposals from the first-half of the last century.