Re:U.S. Drops California Case Against Apple After Accessing ...
by studentrob on Monday March 28, 2016 @07:35PM
(#11378371)
That stuff is not going to change over night, and lobbyists aren't inherently bad. It takes other lobbyists to educate Congress and the public about the flip side of the debate. Tesla is working on that now. If you yourself feel passionately about any issue, nothing is stopping you from launching your own website and campaign. You don't even need to be registered as a non profit. You can say whatever you like. Many countries' populations do not have the wealth and freedom to do what US citizens can do.
Re:U.S. Drops California Case Against Apple After Accessing ...
by nitrogen on Monday March 28, 2016 @07:42PM
(#11378409)
nothing is stopping you from launching your own website and campaign
Nothing except the fact that we don't have a multi-billion-dollar interest group paying us to do so ;). I agree with you that things can sometimes be done at the grassroots level, but there is simply no comparison to the tenacity and endurance of influence available to the big players. Any grassroots effort must find a way to surmount that obstacle, not ignore it.
Re:U.S. Drops California Case Against Apple After Accessing ...
by studentrob on Monday March 28, 2016 @07:46PM
(#11378433)
Sure. But collective votes trump money every time. And your voice is part of getting that collective going. It isn't easy. You need to be an active speaker to participate. You need to be good at presenting facts and convincing people. But with the right to free speech, this is something anyone can practice and learn, even computer scientists. As hidden as we liked to stay behind our monitors growing up, it is time we start coming out from under our shells.
Re:U.S. Drops California Case Against Apple After Accessing ...
by GraemeLion on Monday March 28, 2016 @08:02PM
(#11378516)
True, but to be fair, their power has GREATLY diminished from what it was back in the days of the Robber Barons. It seems like they have a lot of control because we get to see behind the curtain now more than ever, but it's way less horrible now than then.
Remember, at one point, there was an entire plot by businesses to basically take the entire country over, and it was highly supported by members of congress and others.
So yeah. It's gotten better, but it's still way too pervasive.
Some thing seem to be permanent. High priority lobbying goals for big corporations. (Examples: Disney & copyright extensions. Corn & corn subsidies. Car dealerships.)