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0 pointsluma9y ago0 comments

I think it might be deeper than that. I don't feel that the US government, on it's own, is incapable of drafting up reasonable legislation. The problem is that the US government is 100% for sale to the highest bidder, and corruption runs deep (we just call it "campaign contributions" as if that makes it better). If sensible regulation is proposed, it'll last 30 seconds before the good senator from [some self-driving car company's home state] has turned it into a document crafted to drive business to his "contributor".

This isn't a political statement as it cuts across both parties, which renders it all the more insidious.

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krschultz9y ago

Surely this is based on 0 personal direct experience with the people that write these kinds of regulations.

I have worked with engineers that write technical regulations. They are generally focused on doing a good job at the task at hand. To think some mid level person that is hired into a normal job and never meets a politician in their career cares about campaign contributions is asinine.

What do you think the people at NASA and NAVSEA and NIST do all day?

XorNot9y ago

This is not an informed opinion. This is an opinion carefully shaped by the same influences from different industries over the last 30 years who generally benefit from the removal of their regulatory environment (miners, oil industry).

The real byline is in your proposed commitment to trying too improve government process: you don't have any. You think it's hopeless. You're apathetic. Which is what everyone, pushing any agenda, wants from you.

leereeves9y ago

And on top of that you have obstructionism (from both sides) and deliberate efforts to sabotage the other side.

sharemywin9y ago

Or even if the politician isn't influenced by the campaign contributions they'll just run 1 sided ads against the other side that usually have margin at best factual basis.

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