Things are really heating up these days in the ongoing dispute between Apple and the FBI.
In December, fourteen people were killed by ISIL sympathizers Farook Malik and his wife Taskeen, in San Bernardino, CA. In the aftermath, the FBI has been investigating the possibility they may have had accomplices. Backed by a court order, the FBI has requested Apple remove the security blocks on Farook’s iPhone.
CEO Tim Cook, speaking for Apple, refuses to comply, contending it would compromise the privacy of its smartphone users.
I’m not taking sides on the controversy here. The issue is as heated as it is complicated, with the country divided in its opinion and perhaps SCOTUS inevitably having to make the call.
What does concern me is Apple’s new strategy to move the matter to the Congress for adjudication. (Hearings begin next Tuesday.)
Fact is, the Congress is hardly the right party to decide the issue, given the systemic corruption fostered by business conglomerates soliciting favors through huge sums of money donated to its members.
We see this, for example, with regard to the National Rifle Association (NRA), successfully preempting responsible gun legislation, despite myriad mass shootings like those in San Bernardino,.
In 2014, NRA contributions to members of Congress amounted to $984,152 with an additional $3,360,000 for lobbying.
What really fries my brain is that it spent a whopping $28, 212,718 in outside spending!
Apple, as such, is being disingenuous in attempting to shift the scenario to the Congress, having demonstrated a lengthy penchant, like its fellow high tech icons, in substantially contributing to the Congressional feedbag, their mission to deter any regulatory legislation that would rein them in. In other words, a good many Congressional members owe them favors and now’s an opportune time to collect and circumvent the courts.
Since 1990, Apple has contributed $1,902,870 and spent $27,083,008 on lobbying.
Bernie Sanders was right when he denounced PAC money contributions as undermining our democratic franchise: “People aren’t dumb.” These donors don’t give willy-nilly, but expect something in return.
On the other hand, even Bernie has had his hand in the till, ranking second among senators in receiving money from Apple and its employees.
Now let’s see how the system filters out elsewhere. The most prominent Democrat opposing Apple on the issue is Diane Feinstein. Guess what? You’ll find her absent from the list of top recipients of money from Apple and its allies that include Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Twitter. These conglomerates are not about to waste their money on those opposing their interests.
In third world countries, we’d call it bribery.
In the U. S. Congress, many are willing to take the bribe.
–rj
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