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> Podesta will work to advance a variety of the company’s goals in Washington, according to one of the people. He declined to comment. A spokesperson for Huawei

> Podesta will work to advance a variety of the company’s goals in Washington, according to one of the people. He declined to comment. A spokesperson for Huawei also declined to comment. Very transparent for some one that is going to work with the country representatives. Corruption: dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery. China has realized what Russia knows so well. You don't compete with the USA, it's cheaper and more effective to buy its politicians.

underseacables 5y ago
Be thankful for your government, it’s the best that money can buy.
- tkinom 5y ago
  Big Money can buy.
  - darawk 5y ago
    Not even really that big, though. https://slatestarcodex.com/2019/09/18/too-much-dark-money-in-almonds/ https://slatestarcodex.com/2019/09/18/too-much-dark-money-in...
    - phkahler 5y ago
      Politicians in Washington are transistors with high beta.
- adolph 5y ago
  Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for. Will Rogers
- maest 5y ago
  What I don't get about this is that the US govt is the sole issuer or dollars - the govt issues currency and uses it to provision itself with the resources it needs to build bridges, operate its bureaucracy, pay the army etc. So, theoretically, the govt can issue as much coin as it needs to grow to arbitrary sizes. The citizens aren't paying for the govt to run - not with money anyway.
  - quickthrowman 5y ago
    Sort of. The Federal Reserve is nominally independent and controls the money supply. The US Treasury sells bonds to finance the government, and The Fed buys some of these bonds. You are correct that tax dollars don’t totally fund the government, it is also possible taxes aren’t needed at all to fund government operations, since as you said, the money supply and government bond issues can theoretically be increased arbitrarily. Practically, the debt ceiling limits how much the government can borrow, and inflation/unemployment control how much money is created by The Fed.
pphysch 5y ago
Chinese and Russian lobbies are absolutely nothing compared to the Israeli lobby [1]. [1] - https://www.hks.harvard.edu/publications/israel-lobby-and-us-foreign-policy https://www.hks.harvard.edu/publications/israel-lobby-and-us...
- TurkishPoptart 5y ago
  Well, we already _like_ Israel, so there isn't much "convincing" to be done.
  - MikeUt 5y ago
    > already Are you sure the lobbying didn't come first? From the linked report: Second, the Lobby strives to ensure that public discourse about Israel portrays it in a positive light, by repeating myths about Israel and its founding and by publicizing Israel’s side in the policy debates of the day. The goal is to prevent critical commentary about Israel from getting a fair hearing in the political arena. Controlling the debate is essential to guaranteeing U.S. support, because a candid discussion of U.S.‐Israeli relations might lead Americans to favor a different policy.
- bitcurious 5y ago
  What’s described in the article as the “Israel lobby” would be better described as the “Pro-Israel lobby,” as it consists largely of Americans democratically expressing their preferences, rather than a foreign entity buying influence.
  - MikeUt 5y ago
    That's stretching the meaning of "democratic". From the report: The bottom line is that AIPAC, which is a de facto agent for a foreign government, has a stranglehold on the U.S. Congress. Open debate about U.S. policy towards Israel does not occur there, even though that policy has important consequences for the entire world. Thus, one of the three main branches of the U.S. government is firmly committed to supporting Israel. As former Senator Ernest Hollings (D-SC) noted as he was leaving office, “You can’t have an Israeli policy other than what AIPAC gives you around here.” Small wonder that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon once told an American audience. “When people ask me how they can help Israel, I tell them—Help AIPAC.” [..] The Lobby also has significant leverage over the Executive branch. That power derives in part from the influence Jewish voters have on presidential elections. Despite their small numbers in the population (less than 3 percent), they make large campaign donations to candidates from both parties. The Washington Post once estimated that Democratic presidential candidates “depend on Jewish supporters to supply as much as 60 percent of the money.”
tablespoon 5y ago
> China has realized what Russia knows so well. You don't compete with the USA, it's cheaper and more effective to buy its politicians. Maybe the Cold War would've ended differently if the Soviet Union had just hired better lobbyists. There's a saying that goes something like "a capitalist will sell you the rope you'll hang him with," and I think there's more than a grain of truth to it. If Huawei wants to lobby the US government, let the Chinese Ambassador do it. I don't think foreign companies should be able to hire lobbyists to manipulate the US government, let alone companies from non-democratic countries. And it should be illegal for an American to take such a job. Edit: also TIL this isn't the Podesta emails guy (that's John), rather it's his brother.
- ashtonkem 5y ago
  Technically you’re supposed to register as a foreign agent under FARA. This law has gotten a lot of ex trump guys in trouble, including just last week his inauguration committee chairman. So as the laws currently stand you can work for a foreign government lobbying the US government, you just need to be transparent about what you’re doing.
  - tablespoon 5y ago
    > So as the laws currently stand you can work for a foreign government lobbying the US government, you just need to be transparent about what you’re doing. While that's better than nothing, it doesn't go far enough. And frankly, there's also an issue of reciprocity: why should the Chinese be able to hire connected government insiders, when I'm pretty sure the CCP would absolutely disallow such work by their own political insiders (and probably do bad things to anyone who was stupid enough to take a job like that).
  - sremani 5y ago
    Tom Barrack is not arrested under FARA.
    - ashtonkem 5y ago
      He was arrested under a related statue, 18 U.S.C. § 951, for which FARA provides an explicit exception for if you’re registered. An interesting legal technicality, but not something that changes the lay person’s understanding of the situation. He was charged with being an illegal foreign agent, and if he’d registered under FARA’s rules he wouldn’t be in trouble.
tmule 5y ago
China will hand America its ass either way - in the next decade or two. A large, highly-skilled population with strong national unity is going to be an unstoppable international force. America is more fractured than ever, and more incompetent than ever (the soaring college graduation rates notwithstanding). It’s just that Americans are slow to adjust to a rapidly changing reality. Also, let’s not pretend that America does not indulge in pretty unethical behaviors - I have no fondness for Russia, but think America is intrusive, unethical, and untrustworthy as a national.
- pertymcpert 5y ago
  I actually think that we're nearing peak China. They have a demographic time bomb getting ready to kill GDP growth in the next 2 decades. Coupled with increasing cost of living, inequality and falling social mobility, China will have a similar problem to the west sooner than you think.
  - FooBarWidget 5y ago
    China has falling social mobility?
  - tmule 5y ago
    It may. It’ll settle at an equilibrium that pushes it far ahead of the US, though.
- emptysongglass 5y ago
  I certainly hope not. A global Order built on top of an authoritarian superpower will mean other nations of the world taking governance cues to restrict free speech, further Balkanizing of a largely open internet, and historical revisionism to erase atrocities. That's not a future I want to live in.

underseacables 5y ago

Be thankful for your government, it’s the best that money can buy.

tkinom 5y ago
Big Money can buy.
- darawk 5y ago
  Not even really that big, though. https://slatestarcodex.com/2019/09/18/too-much-dark-money-in-almonds/ https://slatestarcodex.com/2019/09/18/too-much-dark-money-in...
  - phkahler 5y ago
    Politicians in Washington are transistors with high beta.
adolph 5y ago
Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for. Will Rogers
maest 5y ago
What I don't get about this is that the US govt is the sole issuer or dollars - the govt issues currency and uses it to provision itself with the resources it needs to build bridges, operate its bureaucracy, pay the army etc. So, theoretically, the govt can issue as much coin as it needs to grow to arbitrary sizes. The citizens aren't paying for the govt to run - not with money anyway.
- quickthrowman 5y ago
  Sort of. The Federal Reserve is nominally independent and controls the money supply. The US Treasury sells bonds to finance the government, and The Fed buys some of these bonds. You are correct that tax dollars don’t totally fund the government, it is also possible taxes aren’t needed at all to fund government operations, since as you said, the money supply and government bond issues can theoretically be increased arbitrarily. Practically, the debt ceiling limits how much the government can borrow, and inflation/unemployment control how much money is created by The Fed.

pphysch 5y ago

Chinese and Russian lobbies are absolutely nothing compared to the Israeli lobby [1]. [1] - https://www.hks.harvard.edu/publications/israel-lobby-and-us-foreign-policy https://www.hks.harvard.edu/publications/israel-lobby-and-us...

TurkishPoptart 5y ago
Well, we already _like_ Israel, so there isn't much "convincing" to be done.
- MikeUt 5y ago
  > already Are you sure the lobbying didn't come first? From the linked report: Second, the Lobby strives to ensure that public discourse about Israel portrays it in a positive light, by repeating myths about Israel and its founding and by publicizing Israel’s side in the policy debates of the day. The goal is to prevent critical commentary about Israel from getting a fair hearing in the political arena. Controlling the debate is essential to guaranteeing U.S. support, because a candid discussion of U.S.‐Israeli relations might lead Americans to favor a different policy.
bitcurious 5y ago
What’s described in the article as the “Israel lobby” would be better described as the “Pro-Israel lobby,” as it consists largely of Americans democratically expressing their preferences, rather than a foreign entity buying influence.
- MikeUt 5y ago
  That's stretching the meaning of "democratic". From the report: The bottom line is that AIPAC, which is a de facto agent for a foreign government, has a stranglehold on the U.S. Congress. Open debate about U.S. policy towards Israel does not occur there, even though that policy has important consequences for the entire world. Thus, one of the three main branches of the U.S. government is firmly committed to supporting Israel. As former Senator Ernest Hollings (D-SC) noted as he was leaving office, “You can’t have an Israeli policy other than what AIPAC gives you around here.” Small wonder that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon once told an American audience. “When people ask me how they can help Israel, I tell them—Help AIPAC.” [..] The Lobby also has significant leverage over the Executive branch. That power derives in part from the influence Jewish voters have on presidential elections. Despite their small numbers in the population (less than 3 percent), they make large campaign donations to candidates from both parties. The Washington Post once estimated that Democratic presidential candidates “depend on Jewish supporters to supply as much as 60 percent of the money.”

tablespoon 5y ago

> China has realized what Russia knows so well. You don't compete with the USA, it's cheaper and more effective to buy its politicians. Maybe the Cold War would've ended differently if the Soviet Union had just hired better lobbyists. There's a saying that goes something like "a capitalist will sell you the rope you'll hang him with," and I think there's more than a grain of truth to it. If Huawei wants to lobby the US government, let the Chinese Ambassador do it. I don't think foreign companies should be able to hire lobbyists to manipulate the US government, let alone companies from non-democratic countries. And it should be illegal for an American to take such a job. Edit: also TIL this isn't the Podesta emails guy (that's John), rather it's his brother.

ashtonkem 5y ago
Technically you’re supposed to register as a foreign agent under FARA. This law has gotten a lot of ex trump guys in trouble, including just last week his inauguration committee chairman. So as the laws currently stand you can work for a foreign government lobbying the US government, you just need to be transparent about what you’re doing.
- tablespoon 5y ago
  > So as the laws currently stand you can work for a foreign government lobbying the US government, you just need to be transparent about what you’re doing. While that's better than nothing, it doesn't go far enough. And frankly, there's also an issue of reciprocity: why should the Chinese be able to hire connected government insiders, when I'm pretty sure the CCP would absolutely disallow such work by their own political insiders (and probably do bad things to anyone who was stupid enough to take a job like that).
- sremani 5y ago
  Tom Barrack is not arrested under FARA.
  - ashtonkem 5y ago
    He was arrested under a related statue, 18 U.S.C. § 951, for which FARA provides an explicit exception for if you’re registered. An interesting legal technicality, but not something that changes the lay person’s understanding of the situation. He was charged with being an illegal foreign agent, and if he’d registered under FARA’s rules he wouldn’t be in trouble.

tmule 5y ago

China will hand America its ass either way - in the next decade or two. A large, highly-skilled population with strong national unity is going to be an unstoppable international force. America is more fractured than ever, and more incompetent than ever (the soaring college graduation rates notwithstanding). It’s just that Americans are slow to adjust to a rapidly changing reality. Also, let’s not pretend that America does not indulge in pretty unethical behaviors - I have no fondness for Russia, but think America is intrusive, unethical, and untrustworthy as a national.

pertymcpert 5y ago
I actually think that we're nearing peak China. They have a demographic time bomb getting ready to kill GDP growth in the next 2 decades. Coupled with increasing cost of living, inequality and falling social mobility, China will have a similar problem to the west sooner than you think.
- FooBarWidget 5y ago
  China has falling social mobility?
- tmule 5y ago
  It may. It’ll settle at an equilibrium that pushes it far ahead of the US, though.
emptysongglass 5y ago
I certainly hope not. A global Order built on top of an authoritarian superpower will mean other nations of the world taking governance cues to restrict free speech, further Balkanizing of a largely open internet, and historical revisionism to erase atrocities. That's not a future I want to live in.