<story><title>Statement by Jeff Bezos to the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary</title><url>https://blog.aboutamazon.com/policy/statement-by-jeff-bezos-to-the-u-s-house-committee-on-the-judiciary</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>supernova87a</author><text>I know that he (and others in positions like CEO in such industries) cannot say it, but I would be glad to hear him say:&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&amp;quot;Representatives, Amazon is a company focused on innovation, efficiency, and getting the best and most out of people, and giving the best and most to people, wherever it can.&lt;p&gt;Tech allows us to tap into economies of scale, create new products and give consumers choices never seen before, squeeze out waste in ways that were not possible up to now, and create net benefit for people in this country.  Each one of you can probably personally think of how Amazon technology has improved the lives of yourselves and people you know.&lt;p&gt;We seek to do this as far as the law allows us to do, and other companies do that as well.  We operate within the rules placed on us by the legislatures of this country and its states.&lt;p&gt;As you know, sometimes even under fair laws, some people will lose out compared to others.  Innovation comes with risk and change -- that&amp;#x27;s an unavoidable consequence of progress.  And technology has been doing this for hundreds of years.   But that&amp;#x27;s what laws are meant to set the boundaries of, based on people like you determining how best to create those rules.&lt;p&gt;If this body is concerned with what we are doing within the laws, it should change those laws based on the best interests of this country and its people.  And Amazon will follow those laws.&lt;p&gt;We want that clarity, and want to follow our responsibilities under the law.  It&amp;#x27;s your responsibility to set out those laws.  Amazon welcomes performing our responsibilities to American consumers, and we invite you to do the same to the people you are responsible to.&amp;quot;&lt;/i&gt;</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>pwdisswordfish2</author><text>&amp;quot;If this body is concerned with what we are doing with the laws, it should change those laws based on the best interests of this country and its people;&amp;quot;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;however, this body should also note that Amazon will seek to exert control over the legislative process to ensure that Amazon&amp;#x27;s best interests are represented to the maximum extent that our influence and lobbying budget will allow,^1 even if those interests conflict with the best interests of this country and its people.&amp;quot;&lt;p&gt;1. We spent $16,790,000 in 2019.  &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.opensecrets.org&amp;#x2F;federal-lobbying&amp;#x2F;clients&amp;#x2F;summary?cycle=2019&amp;amp;id=D000023883&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.opensecrets.org&amp;#x2F;federal-lobbying&amp;#x2F;clients&amp;#x2F;summary...&lt;/a&gt;  I own the Washington Post.  I am considered by Forbes, among others, to be the world&amp;#x27;s wealthiest billionaire.  I am also a registered voter in this country.</text></comment>
<story><title>Statement by Jeff Bezos to the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary</title><url>https://blog.aboutamazon.com/policy/statement-by-jeff-bezos-to-the-u-s-house-committee-on-the-judiciary</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>supernova87a</author><text>I know that he (and others in positions like CEO in such industries) cannot say it, but I would be glad to hear him say:&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&amp;quot;Representatives, Amazon is a company focused on innovation, efficiency, and getting the best and most out of people, and giving the best and most to people, wherever it can.&lt;p&gt;Tech allows us to tap into economies of scale, create new products and give consumers choices never seen before, squeeze out waste in ways that were not possible up to now, and create net benefit for people in this country.  Each one of you can probably personally think of how Amazon technology has improved the lives of yourselves and people you know.&lt;p&gt;We seek to do this as far as the law allows us to do, and other companies do that as well.  We operate within the rules placed on us by the legislatures of this country and its states.&lt;p&gt;As you know, sometimes even under fair laws, some people will lose out compared to others.  Innovation comes with risk and change -- that&amp;#x27;s an unavoidable consequence of progress.  And technology has been doing this for hundreds of years.   But that&amp;#x27;s what laws are meant to set the boundaries of, based on people like you determining how best to create those rules.&lt;p&gt;If this body is concerned with what we are doing within the laws, it should change those laws based on the best interests of this country and its people.  And Amazon will follow those laws.&lt;p&gt;We want that clarity, and want to follow our responsibilities under the law.  It&amp;#x27;s your responsibility to set out those laws.  Amazon welcomes performing our responsibilities to American consumers, and we invite you to do the same to the people you are responsible to.&amp;quot;&lt;/i&gt;</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>ceejayoz</author><text>&amp;gt; If this body is concerned with what we are doing within the laws, it should change those laws based on the best interests of this country and its people. And Amazon will follow those laws.&lt;p&gt;Left unsaid here would be: &amp;quot;We will quietly but effectively work behind the scenes to prevent them from ever &lt;i&gt;becoming&lt;/i&gt; laws.&amp;quot;</text></comment>