Secret Recordings Reveal How Exxon Lobbyists Manipulate Politicians and Public

Re:Secret Recordings Reveal How Exxon Lobbyists Manipulate P... by h2odragon on Thursday July 01, 2021 @10:22AM (#27699324)

Build enough organization to effectively work towards a goal, say passing a particular bill; and once the goal is met, the bill is passed, it seems such a shameful waste to let the organization dissolve, when it could be re-purposed to another similar use.

Recycling is good in other contexts, right?

Also, sometimes, the organization was built and the cause fought as a route to empowerment for the people doing the organizing, in which case the goals are irrelevant. Sometimes the goals were the true reason, in the beginning, but the empowerment becomes too seductive and they fall aside.

Humans is tough to wrangle.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Secret Recordings Reveal How Exxon Lobbyists Manipulate P... by ethbr0 on Thursday July 01, 2021 @10:43AM (#27699510)

The problem with organizational metastization is that it optimizes towards the organizational and regulatory structure, vs the organization's original intent.

E.g. Directors become whoever is most capable of winning and holding a directorship. Donations funnel to whatever solicits more donations.

Texas style regular tear-downs, or at least periodic reauthorizations, aren't the worst solution.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Secret Recordings Reveal How Exxon Lobbyists Manipulate P... by natmaka on Thursday July 01, 2021 @11:13AM (#27699897)

IMHO useful thoughts:

Pournelle's Iron law of bureaucracy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Pournelle#Pournelle.27s_...

Buffet's institutional imperative: https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/letters/1989.html

Ousterhout's most important component of evolution: https://web.stanford.edu/~ouster/cgi-bin/sayings.php

Leopold Kohr and Bertrand de Jouvenel had more detailed pertinent observations and thoughts.

[ Parent | on HN ]