Come on YC, the silicon valley elites have destroyed so much of our society. Do we really expect you to fix it? You all need to read Anand Giridharadas "Winners take all".
YC's request for startups: Government 2.0
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Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0
#12Who needs public services when you can have private for-profit start-ups?
I'm sure the new startups will always prioritize serving the citizens over making money. After all, that's what private for-profit organizations have a long track record of doing.
In seriousness: I'm sure the listed start ups do good work. There are ways tech can help government and people.
Government 2.0 is awful branding. The idea that you can "upgrade" our government with a handful of private companies is downright anti-democratic. How about instead of trying to replace the existing government with private organizations answerable to a few very rich individuals, you work with existing democratic structures and try to improve them.
Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0
#13If anybody is planning anything that combines laws, versioning/revision control and public access to legal resources, please get in touch with me. I have quite a bit of experience in that field that I'll be happy to share thoughts and talk shop.
I have tinkered with a human readable, mathematically minimal, strongly typed language for writing laws/governments/constitutions.
I am highly confident it will work--the code and tech are there I'm just waiting for a strong project leader with good domain knowledge to lead it.
Shoot me an email if interested.
Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0
#14I'm genuinely doubtful that people would want a tech-associated fund to try and mess around running the government. I mean tech doesn't get much of good press lately. Not that I agree with that sentiment, but "something needs to be done with Facebook!" is one of the few things that both US parties seem to agree on.
There are people who want to improve government with technology, just because it's an uphill battle doesn't mean it isn't worth doing.
Also, governments are big spenders. Plenty of incentive there.
Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0
#15I'm genuinely doubtful that people would want a tech-associated fund to try and mess around running the government. I mean tech doesn't get much of good press lately. Not that I agree with that sentiment, but "something needs to be done with Facebook!" is one of the few things that both US parties seem to agree on.
That "something" is varies widely by party.
Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0
#16Hey folks - happy to answer questions about our new RFS.
Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think as long as we base the kernel of the Government on Rust (for a fearlessly concurrent Government), we'll be in the clear. Also protects against terrorist memory tampering. Congress could submit new laws to Blockchain to combat tampering and ensure proof-of-work. My startup is working on Artificial Intelligence to predict laws that model cities like San Francisco or New York would want to implement in the face…
Bit of an old joke, no? I think the "descent to the absurd" style here doesn't make sense because there is a concrete reason for what he's saying: lowering the barrier to suggesting changes in laws in a more structured form. You could point to the diff and talk about it. Worthwhile, I think.
Absurd? I'm just as serious about what I'm proposing, as I am about a "Github-like UI" for the foundations of our country.
Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0
#18If anybody is planning anything that combines laws, versioning/revision control and public access to legal resources, please get in touch with me. I have quite a bit of experience in that field that I'll be happy to share thoughts and talk shop.
I have tinkered with a human readable, mathematically minimal, strongly typed language for writing laws/governments/constitutions. I am highly confident it will work--the code and tech are there I'm just waiting for a strong project leader with good domain knowledge to lead it. Shoot me an email if interested.
I'd love to know more.
Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0
#19There were better ways to word this and a better name to give it.
Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0
#20Hey folks - happy to answer questions about our new RFS.
Why the focus on only profit making for-profit companies when the bulk of what you mentioned is currently being serviced by non-profits?