alt Hacker News> This feels like genuine political competition between local business interests and public health concerns.
You just described the US at large.
The evidently extremely difficult decision between making money for a few, or making life better for everyone.
> You just described the US at large
I described any democracy in a society with private property. Even without private property, you will have issues with concentrated benefits and diffuse harms–negotiating that is part and parcel with governance.
Iowa businsses petitioning their cause is one thing. OpenAI seagulling in to take a shit in Springfield strikes me as being categorically different.