EU Data Protection Proposal Taken Word For Word From US Lobbyists 108
Qedward writes "Glyn Moody looks at the proposed EU directive on Data Protection — and how some of the proposed amendments seem to be cut and pasted directly from the American Chamber of Commerce — that well-known European organisation... You might ask, Glyn writes, who are these MEPs representing — some 500 million EU citizens that pay their salary or a bunch of extremely rich U.S. companies intent on taking away our privacy?"
Lobbyplag lets you look at which lobbyist wrote each part of the bill. Fears of the U.S. exerting undue influence seem to be justified.
Interesting (Score:5, Interesting)
Imagine the outrage in the US if Chinese or European groups drafted a law for congress.
Odd (Score:4, Interesting)
In US, lobbyists are the guys (officially) donating money to the candidate (which is, sadly, allowed). But I don't believe that such "donations" are allowed in EU.
So what does it even mean "US lobbyist" here? Isn't simply giving money to MEPs illegal??
Fears of the US *government* erxerting ... (Score:4, Interesting)
US citizens don't want this either. As a German, I say, it's not right to blame them too. Yes, there's a pathetic passivity when it comes to rising up and saying no. But are we sure we wouldn't be too, in the face of intelligence agencies that actively disrupt any form of protest with false flag moles and propaganda / mass media (See: Occupy movement, W(ikileaks) T(ask) F(orce), even in other countries, like with the "orange revolution"), and eating mostly tiring high-fructose high-fat "food". I'm pretty sure that would leave me apathetic too.
This is the government. And with that, I do not mean what e.g. teabaggers think they mean. I mean the corporations and their lobbyists. The actual ruling class in the US (and here too, mostly). The teabaggers just have never experienced an actual government, that is on their side against the ruling class. (Think French revolution against the nobility, or US independence against [foreign] nobility.) So you have to understand why they think they want a small "government". They actually want less lobbyists. Just like everyone else does.
So... how about that? Let's get rid of lobbyists once and for all. Since the US government is already taken by them, we cannot rely on them ever changing that. Since the whole governmental system around it, is already shaped to allow nothing else, we cannot use elections or mass-media, etc, to do this. It has to come in the form of a "high-road" revolution, where the US citizens will push forward no matter what, but will not engage in the evilnesses, mass-murder, terrorism, etc, the corporation-rulers will no doubt engage in. No matter what. Otherwise it will just end up being the same after the revolution, since those revolting will have become like the ones they hated, in the process.
As a German, who grew up in the 80s, let me say: I can haz cool America back again?
Secret lobbyism is the biggest threat to democracy (Score:4, Interesting)
UK a US state? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Throw 'em out! (Score:3, Interesting)
And who will you have to replace them?
And how long will they stand aginst the epic tide of money and power?
Every man has his price... And these large companies can meet it. Money? Power? Fame? Women? Men? Drugs?
Anything.
Legal or illegal.... What.... they can and have done it all in the past... what makes now any different?
And those that cant be bought have 'accidents'. Or someone claims they raped them and there goes their support.
Re:Odd (Score:4, Interesting)
What if the money happens to fall in to their US bank account, the one they didn't tell anyone they had?
Re:Odd (Score:5, Interesting)
[Disclaimer: I worked in the field.]
Ever heard of social engineering? Political social engineering?
Bribery is for schmucks. Losers who are too stupid to do actual lobbying.
The whole point of lobbyism is that it isn't bribery (but social engineering).
It's called "designed reality". A politician will have nothing but meetings with interest groups and about certain topics. Those meetings will be filled with practically only social engineers, who tell the politicians whatever they want him to believe, so he acts like they want him to. To the politician, this becomes his perceived reality. (That's why it doesn't matter even if it's the green or pirate party... they will all get sucked up into the designed reality.)
The common notion that there would be an absolute reality, and such a thing as "facts", strengthens their belief in the distorted view. They will defend it as "fact" and "reality" to their death. (I bet even you want to defend this right now, don't you?)
"donations"... pfft. lol.
Re:The EU citizens don't "pay the MEPs' salaries". (Score:4, Interesting)
So ... in your fantasy country of the United States of No Taxes at All, your politicians get no salary at all?