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> The people you elect to represent you (for those of us with a democracy-like government) The problem is that so many elected officials don't abide by the rul

> The people you elect to represent you (for those of us with a democracy-like government) The problem is that so many elected officials don't abide by the rules that they push. Joe Biden, Gavin Newsom, Nancy Pelosi, London Breed, etc. When the powerful can ignore their own rules, they're more likely to enact sweeping mandates.

GiorgioG 5y ago
Yes because only democratic politicians ignore the rules.
- x3n0ph3n3 5y ago
  It's particularly egregious because they ignore the rules that they themselves created.
- crackercrews 5y ago
  Surely not. But I couldn't think of a single republican politician who has either created or advocated for a rule that he/she then broke. Can you help with examples?
  - GiorgioG 5y ago
    Republicans have faced fewer accusations because they have not implemented as many of the restrictions that public health experts have called for. It's hard to break rules that don't exist.
    - infinitezest 5y ago
      > Yes because only democratic politicians ignore the rules. > It's hard to break rules that don't exist. Wait, what's your argument again?
      - GiorgioG 5y ago
        That I should stop trying to reason with people who are so biased by their political leanings that they ignore common sense.
kajecounterhack 5y ago
> When the powerful can ignore their own rules, they're more likely to enact sweeping mandates. The sweeping mandates are for our public health. These folks aren't asking us to mask up or vaccinate for their own benefit. And they can only sorta ignore their own rules, because aren't they being roasted in the media when they mess up? The fourth estate at work. It will affect their re-election chances. > The problem is that so many elected officials don't abide by the rules that they push. Hypocrisy sucks, everyone agrees. Gavin Newsom having maskless restaurant meals when asking the rest of us to stay home is wrong. But it's wrong mainly because _masking is good for public health_ and he didn't listen to the advice of the medical professionals that he was parroting, nor did he conduct himself in the way a public servant held to a higher standard should. It doesn't change that masking and staying at home _does_ help everyone, by keeping hospitals from exceeding capacity and minimizing needless death. There will always be virtue signalers and hypocrites but let's not allow them to stand in the way of sane public health policy.
- crackercrews 5y ago
  > nor did he conduct himself in the way a public servant held to a higher standard should No one is asking for a higher standard. > aren't they being roasted in the media when they mess up? The fourth estate at work Was there any coverage in NYT/CNN/WaPo of Biden shopping maskless? I only heard about it because I happened to read some news from a right-leaning site. > It will affect their re-election chances. I'm pretty sure Nancy Pelosi is safe. This only affects politicians in purple districts.
  - vecinu 5y ago
    > Was there any coverage in NYT/CNN/WaPo of Biden shopping maskless? I have a difficult time believing Biden does any shopping on his own.
    - crackercrews 5y ago
      LMGTFY. [1] https://nypost.com/2021/11/28/biden-seen-flouting-mask-wearing-rule-at-nantucket-store/ https://nypost.com/2021/11/28/biden-seen-flouting-mask-weari...
spookthesunset 5y ago
> The problem is that so many elected officials don't abide by the rules that they push Not a single "expert" or government official who pushed these mandates lost their income or livelihood. Many live in big houses and have the financial means to enjoy themselves regardless of their own restrictions. In my opinion every "expert" and politician should have lost their paycheck the day they enacted this stuff. All these "work from home" people too--none of what most HN readers do is "essential" so they should have been shut down even if they could work from home. If the playing field was level, perhaps more people in positions of power would have questioned things. It takes an incredible amount of privilege to do virtually any of what we did over the last two years.

GiorgioG 5y ago

Yes because only democratic politicians ignore the rules.

x3n0ph3n3 5y ago
It's particularly egregious because they ignore the rules that they themselves created.
crackercrews 5y ago
Surely not. But I couldn't think of a single republican politician who has either created or advocated for a rule that he/she then broke. Can you help with examples?
- GiorgioG 5y ago
  Republicans have faced fewer accusations because they have not implemented as many of the restrictions that public health experts have called for. It's hard to break rules that don't exist.
  - infinitezest 5y ago
    > Yes because only democratic politicians ignore the rules. > It's hard to break rules that don't exist. Wait, what's your argument again?
    - GiorgioG 5y ago
      That I should stop trying to reason with people who are so biased by their political leanings that they ignore common sense.

kajecounterhack 5y ago

> When the powerful can ignore their own rules, they're more likely to enact sweeping mandates. The sweeping mandates are for our public health. These folks aren't asking us to mask up or vaccinate for their own benefit. And they can only sorta ignore their own rules, because aren't they being roasted in the media when they mess up? The fourth estate at work. It will affect their re-election chances. > The problem is that so many elected officials don't abide by the rules that they push. Hypocrisy sucks, everyone agrees. Gavin Newsom having maskless restaurant meals when asking the rest of us to stay home is wrong. But it's wrong mainly because _masking is good for public health_ and he didn't listen to the advice of the medical professionals that he was parroting, nor did he conduct himself in the way a public servant held to a higher standard should. It doesn't change that masking and staying at home _does_ help everyone, by keeping hospitals from exceeding capacity and minimizing needless death. There will always be virtue signalers and hypocrites but let's not allow them to stand in the way of sane public health policy.

crackercrews 5y ago
> nor did he conduct himself in the way a public servant held to a higher standard should No one is asking for a higher standard. > aren't they being roasted in the media when they mess up? The fourth estate at work Was there any coverage in NYT/CNN/WaPo of Biden shopping maskless? I only heard about it because I happened to read some news from a right-leaning site. > It will affect their re-election chances. I'm pretty sure Nancy Pelosi is safe. This only affects politicians in purple districts.
- vecinu 5y ago
  > Was there any coverage in NYT/CNN/WaPo of Biden shopping maskless? I have a difficult time believing Biden does any shopping on his own.
  - crackercrews 5y ago
    LMGTFY. [1] https://nypost.com/2021/11/28/biden-seen-flouting-mask-wearing-rule-at-nantucket-store/ https://nypost.com/2021/11/28/biden-seen-flouting-mask-weari...

spookthesunset 5y ago

> The problem is that so many elected officials don't abide by the rules that they push Not a single "expert" or government official who pushed these mandates lost their income or livelihood. Many live in big houses and have the financial means to enjoy themselves regardless of their own restrictions. In my opinion every "expert" and politician should have lost their paycheck the day they enacted this stuff. All these "work from home" people too--none of what most HN readers do is "essential" so they should have been shut down even if they could work from home. If the playing field was level, perhaps more people in positions of power would have questioned things. It takes an incredible amount of privilege to do virtually any of what we did over the last two years.