4 ms·

Why is congress even involved in software, open source, AI, any of this?

dharmab 3y ago
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript#1-8 https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcri... The Congress shall have the Power . . . To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
- anon373839 3y ago
  This provision initially had some meaning, but court cases in the 1940s expanded it to include just about anything that had so much as a hypothetical butterfly effect on interstate commerce - thereby handing Congress nearly unlimited power.
  - valec 3y ago
    gonzales v raich is probably one of the more absurd examples of this
  - troyvit 3y ago
    Luckily Congress has no idea how to wield power.
    - killjoywashere 3y ago
      Oh? Tell me, philosopher-king, how do they wield it now, and how would you wield it better?
      - troyvit 3y ago
        Wait what would a king know about congress? Actually what would a philosopher know about wielding power? Anyway, here's what journalists and think-tanks say about it: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-01-23/congress-has-been-losing-power-for-a-hundred-years?leadSource=uverify%20wall https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-01-23/congre... https://www.cato.org/commentary/its-time-make-congress-great-again# https://www.cato.org/commentary/its-time-make-congress-great...
      - gremlinsinc 3y ago
        if Congress knew how to work at all, computer laws from the 80s would be updated, they'd work on some sort of hit/git way of submitting bills such that we don't need huge omnibus bills and can singularly insert little things as needed or update and see a full change log. They'd also ban all politicking outside of an election season on social media, the news, etc and only allow talk about issues affecting the country and Congress that are under their pervue. They'd also have better rules about etiquette in Congress and if you defy the rule there's a 5k fee, that goes up 1k every time you repeat. Congress should function a bit like a court room. Filibusters should've never been knee capped, and they should be focused on laws that really benefit Americans, before corporations, not take money from rich donors, etc. For example if Congress worked, A life saving drugs like insulin would be price regulated. At least after the drug is break even with R and D costs, then allow a max 150 percent markup. Current markup is 1700 percent iirc. If Congress worked they'd figure out a way that everyone can receive guaranteed healthcare. Every other country does it. They don't want to, because insurance lobbies don't want them too and they pay them their weight in gold. If Congress worked they'd realize the more money people locally have to spend the more money gets spent. fuck, even Henry Ford understood this concept, essentially it's the reason for the 40 hour work week. Without leisure time he postulated that people wouldn't buy cars because they'd be too worn out. He was right, far sales rocketed. Middle class and lower class generally spend 90 percent of their income and most locally to the country or their own city. Money doesn't trickle down, it flows up. Congress is contributing to the polarization of America, you can look at congressional sessions over time and they've evolved to this cesspool that Congress is today, just compare 96 with today or 2006 even. If Congress worked they'd see the value of ranked choice voting. Even if it cost them their job. Even if it led to many third parties winning elections, hell especially this. The founding fathers knew the two party system would be our ruin but didn't have a plan to tackle this, but they cared about our future. Congress cares about today and maybe 2 years from now max, otherwise global warming would have more focus, though I guess tomorrow is catching up with us on that one.
- protocolture 3y ago
  Commerce is a long throw when people are talking about banning the creation and use of a technology.
- moffkalast 3y ago
  In which universe is knowledge equal to commerce? Do they also regulate which books people can read because it's possible to sell them?

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript#1-8 https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcri... The Congress shall have the Power . . . To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

anon373839 3y ago
This provision initially had some meaning, but court cases in the 1940s expanded it to include just about anything that had so much as a hypothetical butterfly effect on interstate commerce - thereby handing Congress nearly unlimited power.
- valec 3y ago
  gonzales v raich is probably one of the more absurd examples of this
- troyvit 3y ago
  Luckily Congress has no idea how to wield power.
  - killjoywashere 3y ago
    Oh? Tell me, philosopher-king, how do they wield it now, and how would you wield it better?
    - troyvit 3y ago
      Wait what would a king know about congress? Actually what would a philosopher know about wielding power? Anyway, here's what journalists and think-tanks say about it: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-01-23/congress-has-been-losing-power-for-a-hundred-years?leadSource=uverify%20wall https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-01-23/congre... https://www.cato.org/commentary/its-time-make-congress-great-again# https://www.cato.org/commentary/its-time-make-congress-great...
    - gremlinsinc 3y ago
      if Congress knew how to work at all, computer laws from the 80s would be updated, they'd work on some sort of hit/git way of submitting bills such that we don't need huge omnibus bills and can singularly insert little things as needed or update and see a full change log. They'd also ban all politicking outside of an election season on social media, the news, etc and only allow talk about issues affecting the country and Congress that are under their pervue. They'd also have better rules about etiquette in Congress and if you defy the rule there's a 5k fee, that goes up 1k every time you repeat. Congress should function a bit like a court room. Filibusters should've never been knee capped, and they should be focused on laws that really benefit Americans, before corporations, not take money from rich donors, etc. For example if Congress worked, A life saving drugs like insulin would be price regulated. At least after the drug is break even with R and D costs, then allow a max 150 percent markup. Current markup is 1700 percent iirc. If Congress worked they'd figure out a way that everyone can receive guaranteed healthcare. Every other country does it. They don't want to, because insurance lobbies don't want them too and they pay them their weight in gold. If Congress worked they'd realize the more money people locally have to spend the more money gets spent. fuck, even Henry Ford understood this concept, essentially it's the reason for the 40 hour work week. Without leisure time he postulated that people wouldn't buy cars because they'd be too worn out. He was right, far sales rocketed. Middle class and lower class generally spend 90 percent of their income and most locally to the country or their own city. Money doesn't trickle down, it flows up. Congress is contributing to the polarization of America, you can look at congressional sessions over time and they've evolved to this cesspool that Congress is today, just compare 96 with today or 2006 even. If Congress worked they'd see the value of ranked choice voting. Even if it cost them their job. Even if it led to many third parties winning elections, hell especially this. The founding fathers knew the two party system would be our ruin but didn't have a plan to tackle this, but they cared about our future. Congress cares about today and maybe 2 years from now max, otherwise global warming would have more focus, though I guess tomorrow is catching up with us on that one.
protocolture 3y ago
Commerce is a long throw when people are talking about banning the creation and use of a technology.
moffkalast 3y ago
In which universe is knowledge equal to commerce? Do they also regulate which books people can read because it's possible to sell them?