Palantir Hires Jon Tester to Make Its Case to Democrats Who Will Soon Investigate It
Palantir hires a former Democratic senator as it faces scrutiny in new Congress
Palantir, valued at over $350 billion and holding $2 billion in federal contracts, has brought on former Montana Senator Jon Tester as an adviser ahead of a Democrat-controlled Congress. Tester, a longtime critic of the PATRIOT Act, insists the arrangement is advisory, not lobbying, and that Palantir "believes in privacy." Democrats like Ron Wyden have promised fresh scrutiny of the company's work with ICE and DHS, and critics call the hire a well-funded bid to dodge accountability.
I wanted to do away with the Patriot Act because it was about privacy. It was about making sure that I am not being watched by anybody, including Big Brother. And by the way, I've talked to many people within Palantir. They believe the same way I do. This is an organization that believes in privacy.
- mentalgear
Propaganda (renamed 'PR' in the 50s), media distractions, political lobbying. Illegitimate power-seeking individuals and organizations always use the same toolkit.
The only permanent remedy is to outright ban those - or better: mandatory transparency into what politicians spend how much time with whom, where money streams come from and go out of organizations, etc, etc. All transparent in a public ledger. (and no: it is not 'anti-competitive' if it's the same regulatory landscape for everybody, but a way to safe-guard the government permanently from corruption). Of course if you there are ideas that would complete this or are truly overall better, feel free to throw them in the comments hat.
- Buttons840
Politicians should be allowed to have their net worth increase by, let's say, $200,000 a year while in office and for 15 years afterwards. Anything more is taxed at 100%. Let it be a price of public service.
- CodingJeebus
> During his 18 years in the Senate, Tester was an outspoken critic of the PATRIOT Act that passed shortly after the 9/11 attacks that expanded the Justice Department's surveillance powers. When asked whether his concerns over government surveillance remain and whether he has the same concerns with his new employer, Tester said Palantir is different and that the company doesn't build "big databases" or trade in private data.
That is literally what Palantir does.
> "I wanted to do away with the Patriot Act because it was about privacy," Tester said. "It was about making sure that I am not being watched by anybody, including Big Brother. And by the way, I've talked to many people within Palantir. They believe the same way I do. This is an organization that believes in privacy."
Congress is full of these people. Forget party affiliation, this is as broad as it is systemic. Talk a big game in office, develop your network and have a cushy job waiting for you once you leave where you make millions calling your friends who are still in office. All while saying that it's not lobbying with a straight face.
- iamnothere
Palantir will have no problem pivoting to serve a hypothetical D administration, and the same future admin will have no trouble bringing it into the fold and leveraging its services. Many Palantir employees will probably welcome it given the direction of their political donations: https://residualthoughts.substack.com/p/libbing-out-at-palan...
The same invasive surveillance apparatus that’s been focused on immigrants and left-wing protestors can easily be retargeted to focus on gun owners, “hate speech”, and right wing groups. This industry shouldn’t exist at all in its current form.
But of course neither party will be able to turn down the power to subjugate its political enemies.
- skinfaxi
> JON TESTER: You know, a perception is reality in Washington, D.C. and in politics in general. But the fact is that I think Palantir's got a good story to tell, and they need to tell it. And hopefully folks will be receptive to it.
These people are a cancer.
- criddell
What do they think Tester can do for them?
- jmclnx
>During his time in office, Tester voted for the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, which rolled back parts of the Dodd–Frank Act,
From Wikipedia, this shows he fully aligns with Palantir. He seems to be 1 step away from being a Republican.
So it cam probably be said he is a DINO (democrat in name only).
- gadders
I still don't get what is inherently evil with Palantir. Is it the use-cases? The clients? The technology? The founder?
I mean does it do anything I couldn't do with Postgres?