On: Senate votes to let people who’ve used marijuana work at intelligence agencies

[imchillyb]

> Democracies shouldn't have giant unaccountable spy orgs.

All governments on the planet have giant unaccountable spy orgs.

Why should a democracy forgo one of the most effective tools the world has ever seen? Accountability is a strange word to use with any government agency. Most government bodies are only accountable to themselves.

[red-iron-pine → imchillyb]

to paraphrase a former boss:

"Everybody [all countries] plays the Great Game. You don't get to not play. Choosing to not play just means when you play you always lose."

Same is true for office politics, market research, academic publishing, etc.; "publish or perish" -- you play the game or you're not an academic.