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What an absurd thing to say. What's that got to do with GPs point? Should we ignore this criticism of congress because it's not allowed in China?

by p_j_w 4y ago

SllX 4y ago
I think you need to start with making a case that it’s a problem that members of Congress make investments at all, including into social media companies since making investments and making investments specifically into social media companies are likely not severable disputes. I don’t think there’s a strong enough argument to make there, nor was one attempted. It looks bad, there’s probably a conflict of interest, but a conflict of interest over people who are regularly in conflict with each other doesn’t keep me up at night. It is a problem that we have an unequal exchange with the PRC over social media companies, and that the situation with American businesses under American law and situation with PRC businesses under PRC law subject to the Politburo of the CCP are equivalent, and shouldn’t be ignored by Congress because they’ll look bad or look like hypocrites. They already look bad and like hypocrites on a daily basis, but they still have a responsibility to the American people to investigate what appears to be an asset of the PRC government that only appears to be a private business operating in the American market and address it through law if necessary. Don’t forget these are the same people who spirited away Jack Ma until he toed the party line. There is no such thing as a private corporation in the PRC whilst it is subject to the CCP’s political regime. Congress sucks, but it is a notable distinction that despite how much they suck, they also make their investments public information per laws they chose to pass.
remarkEon 4y ago
I think the point is that anyone in America can do this. The fact that some rando on TikTok did it is just a feature of that particular social media company's algorithmic reach. You can find criticisms of congress and their "constituent" investors all across the American media ecosystem. Can't find that in China, though.

What an absurd thing to say. What's that got to do with GPs point? Should we ignore this criticism of congress because it's not allowed in China?

by p_j_w 4y ago

What an absurd thing to say. What's that got to do with GPs point? Should we ignore this criticism of congress because it's not allowed in China?

SllX 4y ago

I think you need to start with making a case that it’s a problem that members of Congress make investments at all, including into social media companies since making investments and making investments specifically into social media companies are likely not severable disputes. I don’t think there’s a strong enough argument to make there, nor was one attempted. It looks bad, there’s probably a conflict of interest, but a conflict of interest over people who are regularly in conflict with each other doesn’t keep me up at night. It is a problem that we have an unequal exchange with the PRC over social media companies, and that the situation with American businesses under American law and situation with PRC businesses under PRC law subject to the Politburo of the CCP are equivalent, and shouldn’t be ignored by Congress because they’ll look bad or look like hypocrites. They already look bad and like hypocrites on a daily basis, but they still have a responsibility to the American people to investigate what appears to be an asset of the PRC government that only appears to be a private business operating in the American market and address it through law if necessary. Don’t forget these are the same people who spirited away Jack Ma until he toed the party line. There is no such thing as a private corporation in the PRC whilst it is subject to the CCP’s political regime. Congress sucks, but it is a notable distinction that despite how much they suck, they also make their investments public information per laws they chose to pass.

remarkEon 4y ago

I think the point is that anyone in America can do this. The fact that some rando on TikTok did it is just a feature of that particular social media company's algorithmic reach. You can find criticisms of congress and their "constituent" investors all across the American media ecosystem. Can't find that in China, though.