Reply #25: "Interests of the public at large" can be a tricky concept. . .

[pat_k]

The percentage of people who directly benefit (or who pay a price) is not a meaningful criteria. Some acts are easy to judge as serving or violating the principles we subscribe to as a nation. Others are not so straightforward.

What serves or doesn't serve the public interest is constantly being defined and redefined through political action, legislation, and legal challenge. Seeking the best ways to solve human problems, take advantage of economies of scale, and to work together for our common benefit is essentially the whole purpose of the institutions and principles we established in our Constitution.

The public interest is often served by actions that benefit only a few members of the public and extract a cost from many. Such actions are motivated by our common values or by indirect self-interest (there but for the grace of god go I).

For example, if this nation had committed the public resources necessary to restore, renew, and protect New Orleans from storms far stronger than Katrina (as a vast majority the electorate believes we were morally obligated to do) only a relatively small percentage of would have seen an effect in their own lives. Nevertheless, the act of making such a commitment serves the public interest (i.e., it serves our shared values).

When it comes to making our "rules," the particular rule Team X wants doesn't much matter -- whether or not we'll adopt the rule they propose will be determined through the "rule making" processes available. The first question that must be asked is "Should Team X be involved in defining the rules at all?"

If Team X is a Corporate entity or represents Corporate entities the answer is no.

If we are to maintain a Government of the people, for the people, and by the people, we must be crystal clear about what constitutes "people" -- and kick out the artificial entities.

If it doesn't have an actual voice, or if it isn't an association of actual voices, then it can't have a voice in making our rules.