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Calling your congressman makes the most sense, IMO. As technologists we have an inclination to jump to the technical workaround, but the workaround should not b

by gred 6y ago

Calling your congressman makes the most sense, IMO. As technologists we have an inclination to jump to the technical workaround, but the workaround should not be needed to begin with.

mlthoughts2018 6y ago
This would have no effect. “Call your congressperson” should never, under any circumstances, be considered useful or effective. Policies are decided in the interest of plutocrats. Very occasionally when it would generate good PR or if disenfranchisement gets too bad, some retroactive number fudging will be used to whip up a press release or report on the number of calls or letters to a congressional office, as if to make it seem like a policy was affected by democratic consideration of constituents, but that is purely theatrics and publicity and has no bearing on or connection to the way congressional offices pursue legislation.
- gred 6y ago
  The alternative cynical view (which I subscribe to) is that this small-to-medium amount of pain can sometimes tip the scales in the right direction. There are of course other tools, but they require a bit more dedication: regular donations to think tanks and lobbyists who agree with you and can spend time schmoozing/convincing congressmen, regular donations to legal foundations who challenge overreach in court, and of course voting when the time comes.
  - mlthoughts2018 6y ago
    What part of my response was cynical?
    - techbio 6y ago
      For the uncertain: cyn·i·cal /ˈsinək(ə)l/ 1. believing that people are motivated by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity. "her cynical attitude" 2.concerned only with one's own interests and typically disregarding accepted or appropriate standards in order to achieve them. "a cynical manipulation of public opinion"
      - mlthoughts2018 6y ago
        I’m still not understanding. How is my comment distrustful? It’s just a factual description of a decision making and PR process. The tone I imagine when I say something like “legislators only consider the desires of plutocrats” is like saying “plants survive by photosynthesis” or “the Efficient Markets hypothesis is only useful as an occasional approximation” or something - neutral observations of factual descriptions of how systems work. “Cynical” implies a normative judgment, or some extended assumption as if my comment has anything to do with presumed self-interest or distrust of sincerity.
        techbio 6y ago
        Cynical doesn't mean "wrong". While I'm playing the reference material card: Cynical Antonyms of CYNICAL positivist, cheerful, trusting, optimistic, positivistic, sentimental, impractical, undoubting, idealistic, naive, believing, hopeful, positive, trustful, rose-colored, romantic. The worldview you describe isn't any of those.
  - hombre_fatal 6y ago
    Well, you're not talking to a congressman. You're talking to an office aide. I'm not convinced causing "pain" for interns and aides is what transmutes into political change.

by gred 6y ago

Calling your congressman makes the most sense, IMO. As technologists we have an inclination to jump to the technical workaround, but the workaround should not be needed to begin with.

mlthoughts2018 6y ago

This would have no effect. “Call your congressperson” should never, under any circumstances, be considered useful or effective. Policies are decided in the interest of plutocrats. Very occasionally when it would generate good PR or if disenfranchisement gets too bad, some retroactive number fudging will be used to whip up a press release or report on the number of calls or letters to a congressional office, as if to make it seem like a policy was affected by democratic consideration of constituents, but that is purely theatrics and publicity and has no bearing on or connection to the way congressional offices pursue legislation.

gred 6y ago
The alternative cynical view (which I subscribe to) is that this small-to-medium amount of pain can sometimes tip the scales in the right direction. There are of course other tools, but they require a bit more dedication: regular donations to think tanks and lobbyists who agree with you and can spend time schmoozing/convincing congressmen, regular donations to legal foundations who challenge overreach in court, and of course voting when the time comes.
- mlthoughts2018 6y ago
  What part of my response was cynical?
  - techbio 6y ago
    For the uncertain: cyn·i·cal /ˈsinək(ə)l/ 1. believing that people are motivated by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity. "her cynical attitude" 2.concerned only with one's own interests and typically disregarding accepted or appropriate standards in order to achieve them. "a cynical manipulation of public opinion"
    - mlthoughts2018 6y ago
      I’m still not understanding. How is my comment distrustful? It’s just a factual description of a decision making and PR process. The tone I imagine when I say something like “legislators only consider the desires of plutocrats” is like saying “plants survive by photosynthesis” or “the Efficient Markets hypothesis is only useful as an occasional approximation” or something - neutral observations of factual descriptions of how systems work. “Cynical” implies a normative judgment, or some extended assumption as if my comment has anything to do with presumed self-interest or distrust of sincerity.
      - techbio 6y ago
        Cynical doesn't mean "wrong". While I'm playing the reference material card: Cynical Antonyms of CYNICAL positivist, cheerful, trusting, optimistic, positivistic, sentimental, impractical, undoubting, idealistic, naive, believing, hopeful, positive, trustful, rose-colored, romantic. The worldview you describe isn't any of those.
- hombre_fatal 6y ago
  Well, you're not talking to a congressman. You're talking to an office aide. I'm not convinced causing "pain" for interns and aides is what transmutes into political change.