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Big Tech lobbyist language made it verbatim into NY’s hedged repair bill

arstechnica.com

11–20 of 176 posts

Re: Big Tech lobbyist language made it verbatim into NY’s hedged repair bill

#12
In the scope of the changes made, it seems fairly innocuous, but does anyone have an idea why they may have cut the $10 minimum?

It seems bizarre for the lobbyists to have removed it for no reason, but I can't think of one except something like making cheap watches more expensive could make an Apple watch more appealing. Things that don't seem like realistic goals of the lobbyists.

Re: Big Tech lobbyist language made it verbatim into NY’s hedged repair bill

#13

I’ll remind everyone of the Princeton study that proved our democracy is a sham. Policy outcomes are almost exclusively the product of the preferences of economic elites, not of the People. If you do get a legislative outcome you wanted it’s a coincidence that some big power’s agenda accidentally aligned with your own.

I'm more and more convinced that parliament or congress by lottery would be more representative and functional as well as the death of all political parties as they exist today.

Re: Big Tech lobbyist language made it verbatim into NY’s hedged repair bill

#14

So last time this story made the rounds, the legislature had passed the bill. Then the mayor signed it into law - but not before adding some legalese that roughly amounted to "just kidding lol". Afaik nobody could explain why it was legal for the mayor to add arbitrary language without legislative oversight. Has anyone dove in to figure out how that happened?

My understanding is the governor's signed it with an understanding that the legislator would immediately water it down. Which is what happened

How can they make changes after he signed it though?

Re: Big Tech lobbyist language made it verbatim into NY’s hedged repair bill

#15

I’ll remind everyone of the Princeton study that proved our democracy is a sham. Policy outcomes are almost exclusively the product of the preferences of economic elites, not of the People. If you do get a legislative outcome you wanted it’s a coincidence that some big power’s agenda accidentally aligned with your own.

I'm more and more convinced that parliament or congress by lottery would be more representative and functional as well as the death of all political parties as they exist today.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Venice

Re: Big Tech lobbyist language made it verbatim into NY’s hedged repair bill

#16

Is anyone surprised?

One doubts anyone can muster the energy even to pretend to surprise in this case. It's worth keeping details like this in mind, however, when discussing society-destroying disasters like stupid wars in other hemispheres or insurance-firm-directed health care. We hear lots of arguments that boil down to: "don't criticize democracy; if the'merican people wanted something else they would vote differently!" As we see mor…

And if the elites only pretend to be democratic, why should the populous accept that quietly and not just rise up?

Re: Big Tech lobbyist language made it verbatim into NY’s hedged repair bill

#17

Is anyone surprised?

One doubts anyone can muster the energy even to pretend to surprise in this case. It's worth keeping details like this in mind, however, when discussing society-destroying disasters like stupid wars in other hemispheres or insurance-firm-directed health care. We hear lots of arguments that boil down to: "don't criticize democracy; if the'merican people wanted something else they would vote differently!" As we see mor…

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Re: Big Tech lobbyist language made it verbatim into NY’s hedged repair bill

#18

Is anyone surprised?

One doubts anyone can muster the energy even to pretend to surprise in this case. It's worth keeping details like this in mind, however, when discussing society-destroying disasters like stupid wars in other hemispheres or insurance-firm-directed health care. We hear lots of arguments that boil down to: "don't criticize democracy; if the'merican people wanted something else they would vote differently!" As we see mor…

We're living in the second Gilded Age.

>Political corruption was rampant, as business leaders spent significant amounts of money ensuring that government did not regulate the activities of big business—and they more often than not got what they wanted. Such corruption was so commonplace that in 1868 the New York state legislature legalized such bribery.

Historian Howard Zinn argues that the U.S. government was acting exactly as Karl Marx described capitalist states: "pretending neutrality to maintain order, but serving the interests of the rich". Historian Mark Wahlgren Summers calls it, "The Era of Good Stealings," noting how machine politicians used "padded expenses, lucrative contracts, outright embezzlements, and illegal bond issues.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilded_Age

Re: Big Tech lobbyist language made it verbatim into NY’s hedged repair bill

#19

I’ll remind everyone of the Princeton study that proved our democracy is a sham. Policy outcomes are almost exclusively the product of the preferences of economic elites, not of the People. If you do get a legislative outcome you wanted it’s a coincidence that some big power’s agenda accidentally aligned with your own.

Law and Enforcement of it requires the mandate of the people. The mandate of the people seems breaking apart from the left and right in America.

At some point I suspect "jury nullification" or worse will go mainstream.

Re: Big Tech lobbyist language made it verbatim into NY’s hedged repair bill

#20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One doubts anyone can muster the energy even to pretend to surprise in this case. It's worth keeping details like this in mind, however, when discussing society-destroying disasters like stupid wars in other hemispheres or insurance-firm-directed health care. We hear lots of arguments that boil down to: "don't criticize democracy; if the'merican people wanted something else they would vote differently!" As we see mor…

And if the elites only pretend to be democratic, why should the populous accept that quietly and not just rise up?

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