Backroom: whose interests is Congress looking out for?
24 days ago by uH0p0F6 to c/workreform
I made an app that tracks bills in Congress, who they help or hurt, and what ultimately happened to them. Still pulling in data, but I’d be interested in people’s thoughts.
You need an app for that?
I'll tell you who Congress is looking out for: billionaire pedophiles. And it's been like that since Reagan (although they were just multimillionaires and not pedophiles back then I guess...)
I'm not sure what more hard proof you need: people struggle to make ends meet and pay for gas while a handful of ultra-rich fucks build themselves doomsday bunkers and spaceships to leave the Earth - I guess because there aren't any paradise islands left on Earth to diddle children in peace.
The only proof anybody needs is when they pay at the pump or at the grocery store.
Well, as long as we get to rein in the techno-fascists and reclaim some semblance of democracy and equality, if your approach is better, I'm all for it.
Arguably, it started with Nixon.
Each congressperson is looking out for their own individual interests. Their individual financial interests or their interests as it pertains to their personal desire for status, power, domination, sexual gratification, etc. that pursuit of individual self interest is an essential part of our culture. So essential, in fact, that we are told it's a fundamental part of human nature. We are told that every individual human is a rational actor pursuing their own self interest, even in a very machiavellian way. Congresspeople are no exception.
What is the intended audience?
You could use it as a journalist to sniff out corruption, but corruption isn't practically illegal, and its barely even news at this point.
You can use it to evaluate politicians, but, honestly, you don´t need an app to tell you that the vast majority of politicians suck; and you can´t use this to evaluate a challenger without a voting record...
Maybe some academics/polisci dorks would be interested.
I think of it more for average people who might generally dislike congress but often like their own representatives they voted for. Congress does have famously low favorability, but congress also has extremely high rates of re-electing incumbents. I think plenty of people don't consider the politicians they like are still part of the problem
Those people aren't likely to download an app nor likely let an app sway the opinion of "their" incumbent.
You know who I bet would love it, though? People canvasing against the incumbent. It's great to have a list of votes to make your case with.
@lemmy.world
A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.
Our Philosophies:
- All workers must be paid a living wage for their labor.
- Income inequality is the main cause of lower living standards.
- Workers must join together and fight back for what is rightfully theirs.
- We must not be divided and conquered. Workers gain the most when they focus on unifying issues.
Our Goals
- Higher wages for underpaid workers.
- Better worker representation, including but not limited to unions.
- Better and fewer working hours.
- Stimulating a massive wave of worker organizing in the United States and beyond.
- Organizing and supporting political causes and campaigns that put workers first.
go to feed...
@lemmy.world
A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.
Our Philosophies:
- All workers must be paid a living wage for their labor.
- Income inequality is the main cause of lower living standards.
- Workers must join together and fight back for what is rightfully theirs.
- We must not be divided and conquered. Workers gain the most when they focus on unifying issues.
Our Goals
- Higher wages for underpaid workers.
- Better worker representation, including but not limited to unions.
- Better and fewer working hours.
- Stimulating a massive wave of worker organizing in the United States and beyond.
- Organizing and supporting political causes and campaigns that put workers first.
go to feed...
Studies like this have already been done. It doesn't matter what demographic you belong to, except one, you get what you want about a third of the time.
That last demographic is donors; they get what they want over 90% of the time.
Mystery long solved. But, good science is repeatable, so keep going for the sake of rigor.
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