YC's request for startups: Government 2.0 • Hacker News Board

Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0

#71

Post by lumens » Thu, May 23, 2019, 6:13 PM UTC

Kalium wrote: post #52

nabnob wrote: post #28

The solution to income inequality is not going to come from venture capitalists and private companies. I have an idea for a non-profit that tackles a systemic problem, but I can't help but look at some of the other yc grads and think that their companies seem hopelessly out of touch with the problems they're trying to tackle. Promise is mentioned as "tackling mass incarceration", but their company seems geared more t…

To be sure I understand you clearly, are you making the claim that making sure people don't forget or lose track of court dates will help literally nobody avoid going to jail?

People for whom forgetfulness is the reason they'd miss a court date are likely solve their problem with a normal calendar reminder.

Literally nobody is probably close to accurate.

Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0

#72

Post by pera » Thu, May 23, 2019, 6:13 PM UTC

fwip wrote: post #64

mwseibel wrote: post #16

Hey folks - happy to answer questions about our new RFS.

Why'd you name it Government 2.0, if you "do not seek to replace the government and its policymakers but seek to fund startups that create solutions that provide Americans the foundations for economic growth?" Did you consider any other less misleading/terrifying names?

YC didn't invent this term.

Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0

#73

Post by mwseibel » Thu, May 23, 2019, 6:14 PM UTC

neilv wrote: post #61

Will there be better outcomes for society if such efforts are pursued as non-profits?

There are forprofits and nonprofits on our list.

Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0

#74

Post by breck » Thu, May 23, 2019, 6:14 PM UTC

edmundhuber wrote: post #18

breck wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Okay I just posted some code: https://github.com/breck7/jefferson

I have a toddler in my arms and have to head to work soon but will answer questions/emails as they come.

Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0

#75

Post by maxxxxx » Thu, May 23, 2019, 6:14 PM UTC

mythrwy wrote: post #69

maxxxxx wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It has to come from politics. Capitalism unregulated will pretty much always lead to a few accumulating more and more and increasing their power.

What you say is true. Likewise government unrestrained appears to lead to the few accumulating more and more and increasing their power.

That's why we need balance.

Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0

#76

Post by Hoeraun » Thu, May 23, 2019, 6:14 PM UTC

bytematic wrote: post #6

gioele wrote: post #4

If 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 been dreaming about a government system of laws that uses open source version control with a github-like ui, maybe even a constitution. If I had my own country, that's how I would do it.

Washington DC actually does use Github as the source for the city's legal code (and not just as a copy). I remember seeing this article on HN a while back: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/11/how-i-changed-th...

Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0

#77

Post by smacktoward » Thu, May 23, 2019, 6:14 PM UTC

Kalium wrote: post #52

nabnob wrote: post #28

The solution to income inequality is not going to come from venture capitalists and private companies. I have an idea for a non-profit that tackles a systemic problem, but I can't help but look at some of the other yc grads and think that their companies seem hopelessly out of touch with the problems they're trying to tackle. Promise is mentioned as "tackling mass incarceration", but their company seems geared more t…

To be sure I understand you clearly, are you making the claim that making sure people don't forget or lose track of court dates will help literally nobody avoid going to jail?

Nobody starting a venture-backed company is doing so on the premise that their product will be only useful in a few edge cases.

Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0

#78

Post by breck » Thu, May 23, 2019, 6:15 PM UTC

nosuchuser2 wrote: post #44

breck wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

How do you handle the fact that much law is intentionally ambiguous?

You want to reduce ambiguity as much as possible, but not eliminate it entirely. Still want judges!

Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0

#79

Post by jakelazaroff » Thu, May 23, 2019, 6:16 PM UTC

You're investing in these companies, right? You expect them to make themselves — and you — money?

The problem is what happens when we get to ways to solve the problems these companies are tackling, without the companies. If we enact universal healthcare, will Gusto pivot? If we structure our economy to remove the need for food stamps, will mRelief shut down?

Or will there be attempts to entrench these problems so these companies still have something to solve?

Re: YC's request for startups: Government 2.0

#80

Post by grandmczeb » Thu, May 23, 2019, 6:17 PM UTC

nabnob wrote: post #36

mwseibel wrote: post #16

Hey folks - happy to answer questions about our new RFS.

I have an idea for a non-profit that tackles a systemic problem, but the companies you've listed seem hopelessly out of touch with the problems they're trying to tackle. Promise is mentioned as "tackling mass incarceration", but their company seems geared more towards improving efficiency in criminal justice agencies. Do they really think that an app that sends reminders is going to help failure to appear rates? Crim…

> Do they really think that an app that sends reminders is going to help failure to appear rates?

Text reminders empirically reduce failure to appear by a huge amount[1]. Maybe you don’t understand the problem as well as you think?

[1] https://www.povertyactionlab.org/evaluation/text-message-rem...