People who don't ever consider or speak of morals or ethics are beside the point.

(I was once legally blind, still not a fan of cars myself. Though I understand the appeal when externalities are out of the picture.)

It doesn't help that even just be charged with a crime is now a permanent scarlet letter, even if the person is clearly innocent and charges are dropped.

If someone uses the word 'same' followed by a 'but' for a significantly different case then the word 'same' is losing its meaning.

> Do you discourage people from riding bicycles too, lest they be hit?

I don't, and my point is these things all have wildly different cost-benefit tradeoffs. So it's unproductive to jump to some extreme risk averse example that no one was suggesting or implying.

So not the same?

> Of course you could also stay at home, wearing protective bumper suit 24/7

Quite an extreme and useless comparison. There's a large spectrum of transportation and entertainment options between motorcycle riding and home bound bumper suit at all times.

Unless perhaps it means only companies selling the cheapest are surviving. Which also doesn't seem broady true.

Maybe we can say "whoever sells the cheapest acceptable units survives".

In early 2017 I changed from Republican to Democrat.

> seemingly mentally incapable of noticing absolutely nothing has changed or will change in the composition of seats.

US Senate and House majorities have tipped over to the other party repeatedly over the past 20y. Surely that's more than 'nothing', even if not some overwhelming wave.

> wow a developed pre-frontal lobe level of empathy, amazing

Being condescending and suggesting folks are mentally incapable (in any sense) won't help you make friends or encourage readers to take your ideas more seriously. Unless perhaps your only goal is pumping prediction markets.

Why? Insiders are rich enough as it is.

> Conversing about politics has been a fool’s errand for a very long time in the US, practically this whole century so far.

Other people sharing their perspectives and stories is a big reason I'm no longer a Republican.

> ...if your view of reality is more accurate, whether you want the accurate view or not, don't worry about discussing, just trade it.

This assumes markets are fair.

Just today I was toying with AI to make some bumper music. It came up with some great phrases and fragments. But its 'song' output is a hilarious mess, and feels like I'd be better off starting from scratch and taking only the bits that work.

Then there's the ethical question of where those clever lyrics even came from. Perhaps just lifted from niche works I never heard before.

Perhaps more political oversight will make research more accountabile to the population at large. In this era I suspect it's far more likely to benefit the few, those born into power and fame who are consolidating their power. Scientists with resources and accountable only to other scientists are uniquely dangerous to those unwilling to give up their power.

If Congress doesn't stop the executive and the Supreme Court overrules any legal blockades then ... I guess they can and are doing so RN.