Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by slg 3724 days ago
They lobby the government on their own behalf. You know who else does that? Everyone. That is how democracy works. No one blames a middle class person for supporting a candidate who plans to cut taxes on the middle class. Why do we blame the upper class for doing the same?

Like I said, you can have a problem with the magnitude of influence they have and I think we should move to reduce that magnitude. But you are being biased if you simply have a problem with the fact they do have influence.
3 comments
lowbloodsugar 3724 days ago
Not that they have some influence. That they have all the influence. What you and I want has zero effect on congress. What the rich want, they get. So how you claim democracy works is demonstrably not how it works in the USA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tu32CCA_Ig

link
rev_bird 3724 days ago
>You know who else does that? Everyone.

I think I agree with you, but this rings false. The main (only?) way to effectively lobby the government is with money -- which gives the wealthy far more leverage. If one side is saying, "Choose policy A please," and the other side is saying, "Choose policy B, there's $30,000 in donations in it for you," I bet policy B gets a better look in. It turns into a vicious cycle when Policy B also happens to help that wealthy person hang onto more of their money.

I dislike it, but damn if I can't figure out an alternative.

link
Karunamon 3724 days ago
Am I allowed to be biased based on the results, rather than the actions that led to those results?

No raindrop feels responsible for the flood, but make it so people can't get out of the rain, and before long, everybody starts hating the rain.

link