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by tpmoney 256 days ago
> Do you sincerely believe that both situations are comparable?

How are they not? In both cases US government officials applied pressure and implied legal action to force private companies to act in ways that enabled law enforcement to act with less resistance. It’s why we should always push back against government overreach and bullying. Because the “slippery slope” might be a logical fallacy, but that doesn’t stop it from also being the most likely outcome of the government pushing the boundaries.
2 comments
Tadpole9181 256 days ago
Oh, please. Senators do not head the department of justice and requested, not demanded under threat of retribution under a "unitary executive". For them to do anything would require a quorum of 50% of the entire government to make a law.
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tpmoney 256 days ago
Sure but Senators actually have the power to make law, unlike the executive. Also let’s be honest, if any government official “requests” anything it is always under the threat of retribution. See also the Jimmy Kimmel situation.
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intermerda 256 days ago
> Also let’s be honest, if any government official “requests” anything it is always under the threat of retribution.

If you wanted to be honest you would say this government, not any government.

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tpmoney 256 days ago
I’m reasonably confident that if a sitting US senator called you up personally and “requested” that you stop posting on HN or stop contributing to some open source encryption tool that you would find that event threatening, no matter who was currently president.
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intermerda 256 days ago
> In both cases US government officials applied pressure and implied legal action to force private companies to act in ways that enabled law enforcement to act with less resistance.

That's like saying cooking is comparable with stabbing someone because both involve moving a knife back and forth. Give me a break.

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tpmoney 256 days ago
The intent of using a knife to cut flesh when cooking and the intent of using a knife to cut flesh when stabbing someone is different. Are you saying you believe that the intended outcome of the senator’s request was different?
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