Slate Daily Feed Political Gabfest | Civilizational Erasure
Dec 11, 2025
Tim Wu, a law professor and former White House advisor, joins the conversation to discuss the implications of major media mergers, specifically the sale of Warner Bros. He argues that maintaining Warner Brothers' independence is essential for fostering competition and enhancing cultural diversity. The team also delves into the intricacies of antitrust processes, the potential roles of the DOJ and FTC, and how such corporate consolidations impact creators' bargaining power. Wu's insights highlight the importance of competition in the tech and media landscapes.
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Court Signals To Expand Presidential Removal Power
- The Supreme Court likely leaned toward letting presidents remove members of independent agencies without cause.
- That shift would dramatically politicize agencies previously insulated for expertise and continuity.
Why Independent Agencies Exist
- Independent agencies were created to insulate technical decisions from immediate politics and to rely on expertise.
- Removing that insulation shifts regulatory power toward the president and weakens neutral governance.
Judicial Independence Vs Agency Independence
- The conservative majority's move to weaken agency independence contradicts their own reverence for judicial independence.
- Stripping agencies of insulation is a radical, not conservative, change to governance norms.
