plaidfuji
3 hours ago
Slightly off topic, but I found this particular sentence interesting:
> This is software that isn’t ready for prime time, hasn’t been fully cooked, and is operating in a country that’s too corrupt to pass meaningful modern privacy laws or to regulate data brokers.
Something about the way this is worded, whether intentional or not, really drives home the reality of the US’ diminished standing as a trusted global partner. Like, we’re simply not taken seriously anymore. And it’s not just because of corruption - the corruption is there because of deep-seated political ignorance.
guywithahat
3 hours ago
That line suggests the authors biases, and possibly allegiances, more than anything else. The fact we can talk about issues in the US government so freely and can privately hold so much wealth without it being stolen is proof we live in a relatively un-corrupt nation. It's possible things will change in the future but as of today, that line is ignoramus.
user
3 hours ago
drawfloat
3 hours ago
Your president and his wife both separately were involved in blatant crypto rug pulls only 18 months ago. The fact you still have freedom of speech has no bearing on whether the country is comically corrupt.
guywithahat
an hour ago
I'm not saying there is no corruption; Hunter Biden kicked back 10% of his salary to his dad, and a literal illegal immigrant was elected to the House in Minnesota.
What I'm saying is the US broadly has low corruption. I don't have to pay a bribe to get my drivers license or to get through the airport. Prices are the same for everyone, and campaign donations are tracked and made public. Broadly speaking you can't purchase bills or laws, and have to convince the public. People own houses worth tens of millions and nobody from the government comes to demand money outside of standard taxes. I don't love everything about our legal system, but it's largely predictable and public. There are lots of countries where they can just lock you up forever, or you have to go through closed courtrooms you're prohibited from commenting on that you may never return from.
The US has issues, but any supposed lack of data privacy laws isn't due to corruption, it's due to the will of the people and the rights of the people involved.
plaidfuji
17 minutes ago
> What I'm saying is the US broadly has low corruption. I don't have to pay a bribe to get my drivers license or to get through the airport.
Low compared to who? Third-world countries? Again, just shows how far we’ve fallen that these are the comparisons being made.
> Broadly speaking you can't purchase bills or laws, and have to convince the public.
Please explain the existence of a multi-billion-dollar lobbying industry? Is that money being spent for fun? And unfortunately, the public are so ill-informed that spending money = convincing the public.
etblg
44 minutes ago
> a literal illegal immigrant was elected to the House in Minnesota.
who?
AnimalMuppet
37 minutes ago
An alleged illegal immigrant.
georgemcbay
2 hours ago
> Your president and his wife both separately were involved in blatant crypto rug pulls only 18 months ago.
Sadly that isn't even close to the worst of it. Trump regularly pardons people of federal crimes in exchange for money and forcibly shuts down insider trader investigations into his own family.
We are living in a time of unprecedented open corruption in the US government.
plaidfuji
an hour ago
Also the funding of Trump Jr’s wedding by a Russian oligarch…
Private sponsorship of personal vanity projects (White House ballroom)…
Jet gifted by a foreign entity (Qatari AF1)…
Ambassadors demanding personal payment for guaranteed audiences (Guilfoyle)…
And that’s just in recent memory. The Left isn’t blameless either. The fix needs to be systemic (repeal Citizens U, re-build independent oversight and nerf the executive), but unfortunately I only see it becoming a deeper and more acrimonious blame game.