Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by kortilla 2430 days ago
The OTA didn’t solve the problem at hand. A separate office with even less expertise than the one regulating the industry is not in a position to suggest sane regulations.

What could the OTA bring to the table when it came to regulating something like mines that the EPA/DEQ wouldn’t have?
2 comments
brnt 2430 days ago
If OTA didn't solve the problem at hand, the solution might be to improve it, rather than abolish it.

One does not need to have more expertise to come up with some sane regulations, i.e. you can't dump trash in the river, a tax filing co. can't lobby for tax legislation.

link
jtuente 2430 days ago
Improve it how?

The tax filing co isn't the one going to congress, they hire some PR company that does lobbying to talk to congressmen about tax law. Of course, that PR company just so happens to hire people from tax filing co because they know the industry. With OTA, the PR company goes to OTA to talk about tax law, it's just adding a different step to the process.

link
brnt 2429 days ago
Maybe the contacts the congressman is allowed to have should be controlled. Why would he ever need to be in touch with a PR firm? PR is the word Bernays invented to avoid using the word propaganda. Why would it be controversial to limit propaganda?
link
DataWorker 2430 days ago
If one does not need expertise then it seems like the OTA would be pointless wouldn’t it? Their purpose was to add expertise but they were technological generalists with a political focus rather than apolitical experts so it’s not clear to me that they added any unique value despite being appealing as a concept.
link
anigbrowl 2430 days ago
What is wrong with being a generalist? If general perspective weren't important then the military wouldn't have general officers.
link
anigbrowl 2430 days ago
A separate office could have less expertise but a broader perspective, and be less interested in suggesting regulations (although broad experience might give it extra heft in articulating regulatory principles) than in pointing out both ineffective regulations and attempts to undermine effective ones.

Think of the OTA as connective tissue connecting the different regulatory specialties if you prefer.

link