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Comment by Blackstrat | Hacker News Reader

In the event of a widespread communications outage, I’m not too concerned about whether some senator can call his mistress. Just another waste of taxpayer dollars. They want satellite phones, cut spending elsewhere. This has little to do with Jan 6. It’s just another perk for our ruling class.

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I think I'm missing something -- why would someone use a (presumably closely-monitored) government-issued satellite phone instead of a personal phone to call a mistress?

Considering the frequency of trading stocks ahead of legislation, payola and other graft, I doubt too many are worried about word of a mistress getting out. It’s a badge of honor in DC

You don’t but our political system expects senators to be able to be around.

I think criticizing this needs to be mixed with criticizing the entire form of governance here

It is not the form of government that is the issue. It's the corrupt dinosaurs that have for too long rigged elections in their favor and Congress today is hardly different from the old Soviet Politburo - a description given me by a friend that escaped the Soviet Union in the early 80s. Term limits would help since machine politics controls elections in most states.

Money will always corrupt and speak louder than people.

Majority of people are also very easy to manipulate.

So no I think this is a feature of the government. No matter who is at the helm.

A lot of important people where I work (something important you're probably using right now) were recently issued these as well.

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