From Uber to Eric Schmidt, tech is closer to the US government than you'd think

Technology companies face a delicate balancing act as they are forced to expand overseas to grow. In the US, Silicon Valley, like any industry, has embraced and relied on close relationships with former government officials both for technical talent and to help grease the wheels as they confront regulatory issues. The fact these connections are so accepted illustrates how tech’s leaders – even amid current fights over encryption and surveillance – are still seen as mostly US firms that back up American values.