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The United States is not a democracy. Power does not rest with the populous.

Electoral Democracy has four required mechanism: Ranked Voting, Lottery Option, Recall Mechanism, Randomized Districting. Neither the United States, nor any of it states, nor any of its cities or counties to my knowledge qualify as a democracy. The vast majority aren't even on the democratic spectrum. Top to bottom, we are electoral oligarchy. When you lack democracy, you lack consent of the governed, and your governments are not legitimate. They are both inherently and demonstrably corrupt.

We must move to install these democratic mechanisms in our local governments. We must entrench democracy.

"OK next question. Can your head fit into this basket?"

How the fuck is it even remotely legal for a politician to sign an NDA with a corporation to hide information from their constituents?

Who would prosecute, even if it was? Bet the DAs are wrapped up in this as much as anyone else.

Can you have recall elections? Those are no longer your politicians, they are corporate employees.

Corruption, corruption everywhere and not a drop to drink (because the data centers sucked up all of the good drinking water).

Public officials should not be able to sign NDAs with private businesses.

PSA most NDAs are unenforceable BS. Same with non-competes. You can't prevent a person from making a living. The only thing NDAs can really cover are true trade secrets that could cause actual damages to the company. Otherwise in the US a company can't make you sign your right to free speech away.

It should not be legal for elected officials to sign NDAs with corporations.

That was my reaction before I even read the text at the bottom of the post.

Who would arrest them? The whole system is corrupt

several governors already okayed the project in thier states

Michigan Constitution Art. 4 § 11 protects state legislators from liability for speech in the legislature. A similar clause that applies to local councillors would prevent these sorts of contracts because they wouldn't be binding; the councillors could openly violate the non-disclosure agreement during the council sessions and would be immune from liability for breaching the agreement. That being said, being legally allowed to speak won't persuade a person who doesn't want to speak from staying silent. If the company in question offered a huge bribe to not talk, that's not something that can be solved by the legislature. That's a problem for the prosecutor's office.

I think non-disclosure agreements and the existence of billionaires are mutually dependent.

Peak corruption