In Chile, an iPad for every lawmaker

October 19, 2011

Chile's Congress will bestow an iPad2 on each and every one of its 120 lower house lawmakers to improve their efficiency

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Chile's Congress will bestow an iPad2 on each and every one of its 120 lower house lawmakers to improve their efficiency and remote access to legislative proceedings.

Chile's Congress will bestow an iPad2 on each and every one of its 120 lower house lawmakers to improve their efficiency and remote access to legislative proceedings.

A four-member lower house panel on administration decided to hand out the high-selling Apple tablets "to support legislative operations," the daily La Segunda reported.

Speaker Patricio Melero said the goal was to make it possible for lawmakers to remotely access their work, do research and follow .

But some lawmakers, who were asked to pick their in black or white, had their doubts about whether they needed such a freebie.

"I think that our absolutely should invest our money as best as possible. People who want to get one of these things should get it with their own money. We make enough," said legislator Rene Alinco.

Legislators are supposed to turn in their iPads when their terms end.

(c) 2011 AFP

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rwinners
Oct 19, 2011

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The Apple corporation thanks them.
The Jobs foundation thanks them.
Oh yeah. the guys who are long aapl thank them too!
randith
Oct 22, 2011

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Wow, somebody is generous. I wonder who made this law. Oh wait....
I_Dont_Have_A_Name
Oct 24, 2011

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I'll bet the tax payers who subsidize this cost will be thrilled to learn that their newly upgraded legislator will now be functioning better than ever...
Only a matter of time until a rogue hacker spills internal documents to the public >_>
PaoloIlTipoBasso
Oct 24, 2011

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As long as they were secure (multiple biometrics, video record), this would be great for remote voting. There really is no reason to require all legislators to meet in the same place anymore.

Such technology would drastically simplify the logistics of legislation. Larger numbers of legislators could be supported for less. Districts would shrink increasing the efficacy of voters. Gerrymandering would decrease. Pork would decrease. Corruption in general would become harder to maintain. Irregularities in the Electoral College would disappear.

A positive feedback cycle of quality legislation could be achieved simply by reducing congressional districts to a proper size.
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