[ryanmercer]

>If we're talking about the US here, 'until' seems to be an optimistic presumption that our government has any intentional of helping small businesses.

There are dozens of articles of Trump taking something to congress today apparently to do just this

https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-nw-coronavirus...

>Mnuchin planned to outline that roughly $850 billion package to Senate Republicans at a private lunch, with officials aiming to have Congress approve it this week.

and

>“The Senate will not adjourn until we have passed significant and bold new steps above and beyond what the House has passed to help our strong nation and our strong underlying economy weather this storm," McConnell said.

[JadeNB]

Ah, good point. Pandemics make even ISPs and Trump seek to be seen to be acting in the public good. (But not Charter, and not hoarders.)

[ryanmercer]

Yeah, politicians need voters to not completely hate them so they can get re-elected. Imagine if instead politicians were selected by lottery, served shorter terms, and had their appointments staggered.

I wonder if any authors have given this a shot in fiction, I'd read it.

[JadeNB]

Well, there's https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lottery_in_Babylon , but not in the realistic spirit that you probably intended. (There's also HHGttG's https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Ruler_of_the_Universe , again in a different spirit.)

[ryanmercer]

The Lottery in Babylon sounds worth a read, thanks!