6 ms·

Wyden is the single best tech-related legislator in Congress, in my opinion. A great all around senator as well.

rileyphone 5y ago
> In May 2017, Wyden co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, Senate Bill 720, which made it a federal crime, punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment,[55] for Americans to encourage or participate in boycotts against Israel and Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories if protesting actions by the Israeli government. The bill would make it legal for U.S. states to refuse to do business with contractors that engage in boycotts against Israel.[56] It amazes me how otherwise sensible legislators look like goons when it's AIPAC calling, approving bills that make free speech a crime.
- mschuster91 5y ago
  > The bill would make it legal for U.S. states to refuse to do business with contractors that engage in boycotts against Israel. I fail to see the problem in the government not indirectly funding entities supporting agitation against a close military and political ally of the US.
  - whimsicalism 5y ago
    I do not think the government should police my views on Israel just so I can be allowed to be a teacher or a municipal worker. I shouldn't be required to sign a pledge supporting Israel. Doing that is a problem. Contractors are a lot more broad than you think.
    - mschuster91 5y ago
      > Contractors are a lot more broad than you think. If you are a teacher or municipal worker, you should not be a contractor in the first place, but an actual employee of the government.
      - whimsicalism 5y ago
        https://theintercept.com/2018/12/17/israel-texas-anti-bds-law/ https://theintercept.com/2018/12/17/israel-texas-anti-bds-la...
- boomboomsubban 5y ago
  While I am not in favor of the bill, his description of it is far different from the one presumably on his Wikipedia page. He said it adds to an existing law, one that has never sent a person to prison, that forbids people from following a boycott organized by a foreign state. You'd be free to form your own boycott. Again, not something I support. But on the "bullshit Representatives support" scale, not a huge deal https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/9-news/368374-250754-wyden-defends-support-of-israel-boycott-proposal-no-one-has-gone-to-jail https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/9-news/368374-250754-wyden-defen...
dantheman 5y ago
He says the right things sometimes but is often ineffective - why didn't he call out Clapper when he was lying to him in congress? It is up to the legislature to control the government.
- boomboomsubban 5y ago
  I believe either he wasn't sure he was lying, or announcing that he was lying would have broken the Official Secrets Act.

> In May 2017, Wyden co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, Senate Bill 720, which made it a federal crime, punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment,[55] for Americans to encourage or participate in boycotts against Israel and Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories if protesting actions by the Israeli government. The bill would make it legal for U.S. states to refuse to do business with contractors that engage in boycotts against Israel.[56] It amazes me how otherwise sensible legislators look like goons when it's AIPAC calling, approving bills that make free speech a crime.

mschuster91 5y ago
> The bill would make it legal for U.S. states to refuse to do business with contractors that engage in boycotts against Israel. I fail to see the problem in the government not indirectly funding entities supporting agitation against a close military and political ally of the US.
- whimsicalism 5y ago
  I do not think the government should police my views on Israel just so I can be allowed to be a teacher or a municipal worker. I shouldn't be required to sign a pledge supporting Israel. Doing that is a problem. Contractors are a lot more broad than you think.
  - mschuster91 5y ago
    > Contractors are a lot more broad than you think. If you are a teacher or municipal worker, you should not be a contractor in the first place, but an actual employee of the government.
    - whimsicalism 5y ago
      https://theintercept.com/2018/12/17/israel-texas-anti-bds-law/ https://theintercept.com/2018/12/17/israel-texas-anti-bds-la...
boomboomsubban 5y ago
While I am not in favor of the bill, his description of it is far different from the one presumably on his Wikipedia page. He said it adds to an existing law, one that has never sent a person to prison, that forbids people from following a boycott organized by a foreign state. You'd be free to form your own boycott. Again, not something I support. But on the "bullshit Representatives support" scale, not a huge deal https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/9-news/368374-250754-wyden-defends-support-of-israel-boycott-proposal-no-one-has-gone-to-jail https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/9-news/368374-250754-wyden-defen...

dantheman 5y ago

He says the right things sometimes but is often ineffective - why didn't he call out Clapper when he was lying to him in congress? It is up to the legislature to control the government.

boomboomsubban 5y ago
I believe either he wasn't sure he was lying, or announcing that he was lying would have broken the Official Secrets Act.