SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
An investigation into nearly 1 million bills across all 50 US states showed a high proportion of proposed US laws being written by lobbyists. The investigation was based on computer analysis of the similarities in language used in the bills. Additionally, copycat legislation is a problem. That is where states copy-paste key parts of proposed legislation from each other, and often the original is can be traced back to lobbyists. Many tricks are used to increase acceptance of these bills such as use of deceptive titles, misleading endorsements, copied bills to override locally sourced bills, and more. The article includes several graphics showing the distribution of bad practices across the states.
A two-year investigation by USA TODAY, The Arizona Republic and the Center for Public Integrity reveals for the first time the extent to which special interests have infiltrated state legislatures using model legislation.
USA TODAY and the Republic found at least 10,000 bills almost entirely copied from model legislation were introduced nationwide in the past eight years, and more than 2,100 of those bills were signed into law.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 15 2019, @06:12AM (6 children)
As usual we find someone blaming government activity on the "free market". Government action is the opposite of free market activity.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 15 2019, @06:23AM
Wow. Your reading comprehension is really poor. Does that come naturally, or do you have to work at it?
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Monday April 15 2019, @06:36AM (4 children)
Aaaaaaand here we have exhibit A. Jesus, that didn't take long at all, now did it?
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 15 2019, @04:24PM (3 children)
Exhibit A is the person pointing out that you don't know the difference between free markets and government intervention?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 15 2019, @05:21PM (1 child)
Just wow.
Sometimes I think we really have been infiltrated by a swarm of bots, that would be more comforting than realizing some people can't parse "US Legislators Frequently Let Corporations Write Your Laws" to understand what part the "free market" plays in this discussion.
You libertarians and conservatives need to understand that the majority of the problems the US faces today is due to the co-opting of government by corporate interests. The "deep state" is actually made up of lobbyists, and the vast majority of government waste goes to **drum roll** CORPORATIONS!
The double-think has you all so turned around that you champion the evil bastards and decry the people trying to help the average family.
Azuma, the Cassandra of SN.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Monday April 15 2019, @06:20PM
I'm used to being Cassandra. It happens all the time in meatspace too, to the point that I'd predicted two peoples' deaths, gotten blown off, and they were gone within 24 hours. And of course, all I got for that was estranged from several family members (back when I had family to speak of...). I only ever seem to get "warnings" about negative phenomena, and while they've saved my life almost half a dozen times, it's really wearing after a while.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @01:39AM
The people in the "free market" sure don't seem to believe in the free market, that's for sure.