[giwook]

You say all it takes is for the legislature to pass the laws and seem to assume our government is functioning as expected without any bugs.

And yet we’re talking about an extremely well-connected and powerful industry in PE. Do you really think they won’t lobby intensely against legislation that would cripple their profits? Are the majority of our legislators really immune from considering corporate interests?

[mmooss]

That's always been true, bugs and lobbyists, and yet our predecessors have gotten a lot done. People get things done now (including people you don't agree with).

It's not a fairy tale; it is hard; and yet our predecessors moved mountains.

[giwook]

It's the same as it's always been and yet it's different.

The political environment we live in today is not what it was even a few years ago let alone decades.

[mmooss]

It is what we make it. The problem is a victim mentality - giving others the power (for example, to define the political environment), which also absolves the 'victim' of responsibility: they're powerless!