Deep-pocketed Silicon Valley techies who are part conservative and part libertarian — conservatarians — are being drawn by the small-government-means-more-privacy message espoused by Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul,
KPIX 5 reported.
Paul was in San Jose to address the Lincoln Labs Reboot 2014 conference, which matches conservative political elements and Silicon Valley's technology community.
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Liberty and technology can flourish side-by-side when government is small, Paul said. He challenged any perception that President Barack Obama was pro-innovation and pro- freedom. "He's for the protectionism crowd, the crowd that would eliminate the activity of these companies," the senator said.
Garrett Johnson, a Lincoln Labs Reboot co-founder, invited Paul to the gathering. "It's not that I agree with him 100 percent of the time," he said. "I don't agree with my parents 100 percent of the time, but I still go home for Christmas and Thanksgiving every year."
Evan Baehr, co-founder of Able said he was drawn to Paul's message about privacy and technology. "I call myself a conservative with libertarian leanings. Conservatarian? It's new for me, but it's a fit."
Silicon Valley has been upset by National Security Agency eavesdropping revelations.
"Since the NSA scandal, there have been people losing money," Paul said. "People selling stuff in Asia and Europe aren't very happy with us now. There have been articles written citing as much as $22 billion in lost sales," KPIX 5 reported.
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