Just wanted to say thanks for the thoughtful reply and taking time to sketch out your views comprehensively. Your comment left the why part of my question a li

Just wanted to say thanks for the thoughtful reply and taking time to sketch out your views comprehensively. Your comment left the why part of my question a little ambiguous, but I'm assuming from your response that it's a combination of because everyone else is doing it, the US sort of has to in order to remain competitive because everyone else is doing it, because it's not prohibited, and because it's not in the public interest (assuming you mean US public's interest here). I wanted to apologize for mincing your words a bit upthread - this comment makes more clear the distinctions you draw around misconduct, "legitimate" / de facto practices, and what's in the public interest. Thanks again!