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Bernie’s Army of Coders

politico.com

11–20 of 99 posts

Re: Bernie’s Army of Coders

#11
post #4

Before we start admiring things, let's see what happens on Super Tuesday (12 days away). Nothing of what Sanders is doing is going to survive past a left primary. Absolutely nothing he is promising can be done without Congress. ------------ reply to below since I can only answer two replies on HN anymore before being blocked: Wrong comparison. That's like wanting to be manager when you have only worked at a company f…

Ideas are powerful. What Sanders' rise (and to some extent, Trump's) symbolize political system whose representatives that are woefully out of touch with its constituents. I think congress and the Senate is next, we are going to see a huge shake up in each party from the top down. Don't be surprised if we start seeing more Sanders-like-citizens running for Congress. We live in interesting times.

It's already happening.

> https://newrepublic.com/article/129047/bernies-army-running-...

> https://www.reddit.com/r/grassrootsselect

Re: Bernie’s Army of Coders

#13
post #3
post #2

Interesting! This part got me thinking though: >And last summer a map compiling all the Sanders campaign happenings across the country, built by volunteer Rapi Castillo, a Philippine immigrant living in Queens who isn’t an American citizen and can’t vote this November, became the official “eventslink on Sanders’ website. So a foreigner is effectively giving an in-kind campaign contribution to a candidate? How come pe…

If the data is openly available I'm not sure how anybody could stop a foreigner from building whatever they wanted on top of it. You could question the decision to link to it in an official manner, but by that point it just becomes a freedom of speech issue, doesn't it?

Yeah, but then (per sibling subthread) we're right back to Citizen's United: "So I can spend all the time I want promoting a candidate, but if I use that time to generate money to pay others to promote the candidate, that's prohibited?"

Prohibiting "contributions" to candidates, has to infringe on a kind of free speech.

Re: Bernie’s Army of Coders

#14
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure how you would enforce that, It boils down to free speech really.

And this is why ultimately I agree with the decision in Citizens United. If my bill rate is $200 an hour, then it's possible to put a financial amount on any activity I do in support of a candidate. If they did that, then we would just get the usual brinksmanship (assuming a cap), and I might be "too wealthy" to contribute time to the candidate I support. Contrarily, if I'm just as passionate about a candidate, and h…

Corporations shouldn't be people though. This is a dangerous precedent.

Re: Bernie’s Army of Coders

#15
post #13
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the data is openly available I'm not sure how anybody could stop a foreigner from building whatever they wanted on top of it. You could question the decision to link to it in an official manner, but by that point it just becomes a freedom of speech issue, doesn't it?

Yeah, but then (per sibling subthread) we're right back to Citizen's United: "So I can spend all the time I want promoting a candidate, but if I use that time to generate money to pay others to promote the candidate, that's prohibited?" Prohibiting "contributions" to candidates, has to infringe on a kind of free speech.

I disagree with the Citizen's United comparison, since donating time towards a campaign can't be pocketed the same way money is. You can't commoditize already-spent labor in that way.

Regardless, I think the real solution would be campaign laws similar to the UK's. It's my understanding that each candidate is given the same hard cap on campaign spending, which encompasses everything from advertising to the cost of sleeping on a friend's couch while traveling. Every candidate's expenditures are diligently recorded and easily audited if necessary, and it creates a level playing field.

Re: Bernie’s Army of Coders

#16
post #4

Before we start admiring things, let's see what happens on Super Tuesday (12 days away). Nothing of what Sanders is doing is going to survive past a left primary. Absolutely nothing he is promising can be done without Congress. ------------ reply to below since I can only answer two replies on HN anymore before being blocked: Wrong comparison. That's like wanting to be manager when you have only worked at a company f…

> . Only Maine is whiter. Why is his state like that in the 21st century

As someone currently living in Maine, people don't move here for reasons like "there are no jobs" and "have you seen what kind of weather they have".

Re: Bernie’s Army of Coders

#17
post #4

Before we start admiring things, let's see what happens on Super Tuesday (12 days away). Nothing of what Sanders is doing is going to survive past a left primary. Absolutely nothing he is promising can be done without Congress. ------------ reply to below since I can only answer two replies on HN anymore before being blocked: Wrong comparison. That's like wanting to be manager when you have only worked at a company f…

Ideas are powerful. What Sanders' rise (and to some extent, Trump's) symbolize political system whose representatives that are woefully out of touch with its constituents. I think congress and the Senate is next, we are going to see a huge shake up in each party from the top down. Don't be surprised if we start seeing more Sanders-like-citizens running for Congress. We live in interesting times.

I think you mean candidates. The electorate is the subset of constituents that can vote.

Re: Bernie’s Army of Coders

#19
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And this is why ultimately I agree with the decision in Citizens United. If my bill rate is $200 an hour, then it's possible to put a financial amount on any activity I do in support of a candidate. If they did that, then we would just get the usual brinksmanship (assuming a cap), and I might be "too wealthy" to contribute time to the candidate I support. Contrarily, if I'm just as passionate about a candidate, and h…

Corporations shouldn't be people though. This is a dangerous precedent.

I disagree 1) that they are, and 2) that they oughtn't be allowed to be for what you're intending.

On 1) They aren't persons, but do have a limited degree of personhood. Among other things, that personhood is what allows us to sue them and such.

On 2) I don't have a problem with it. If companies have to abide the law, then I can't imagine how it would be that they shouldn't have input into its making.

I agree that corporate influence is a real problem, but would personally suggest that limiting the scope of influence available to lawmakers is a better alternative to fixing the problem than limiting people (who form corporations) of their first amendment rights.

That said, this debate is getting into the 'purely political' territory, and is probably not a great fit for an HN discussion.

Re: Bernie’s Army of Coders

#20
post #4

Before we start admiring things, let's see what happens on Super Tuesday (12 days away). Nothing of what Sanders is doing is going to survive past a left primary. Absolutely nothing he is promising can be done without Congress. ------------ reply to below since I can only answer two replies on HN anymore before being blocked: Wrong comparison. That's like wanting to be manager when you have only worked at a company f…

The SJW managed to alienate a lot of people the last couple of years. And now they support Hilary. And with that are doing her a great disservice.

Right now they are busy insulting their own party and their own electorate.

And even you managed to imply that a majority white state is somehow strange, undesirable and barbed fortress. That is a great way to win hearts and minds for Hilary's campaign.

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