Look, even if Biden wanted to, he can't just waltz in and set up a full-blown social credit system like they have in China. The infrastructure and technology for that kind of comprehensive, government-controlled system just isn't there (yet). If we can pass the right bills to block that kind of technology from being used for this purpose in the first place, then it really won't matter what other laws he tries to push through.
And you know, even in places that seem to be "credit-only," you can often still get by without a credit history, In many cases, you can actually talk the private owner or landlord into giving you access based on other factors, like your income, rental history, or whatever else they're willing to consider. Sure, it might be a bit more of a hassle, and the landlord or business might give you a harder time. But the practical restrictions you face are nothing compared to what you'd see in an actual government-run social credit system. In those cases, you'd be completely shut out from entire aspects of life based on your social credit score - no wiggle room at all.
The credit card and private sector restrictions are honestly pretty minor compared to that level of government control. When it comes to renting, for example, if a landlord decides not to rent to you because you lack credit history, that's really just their own personal decision as the property owner. The government isn't mandating that. And the whole credit card system itself is run by private companies, not the government. These are financial tools that businesses have created, not some government scheme to monitor and restrict people's lives.
The key distinction is that a true social credit system, like what they have in China, is directly controlled by the government. They're the ones setting the baseline standards and dictating who can access certain things based on this overarching social credit score they've assigned to you. It's not just about your personal finances or what private companies decide - the government is the one drawing those lines and controlling your access to basic services and opportunities.
In that kind of system, even if a landlord was willing to rent to you, they might not be able to because you don't meet the government's required social credit threshold for that particular region.
They're essentially "redlining" people based on this government-run social credit system, in a way that goes far beyond anything we have with private credit cards and loans.
That level of comprehensive state control is a whole other beast compared to the more limited, private-sector driven credit systems we have.
A major component that makes China's entire social credit system work is they're huge surveillance systems of high tech & low tech spy mechanisms like intrusive cameras, facial recognition software, automatic law enforcement systems, AI integration, web surveillance, "great firewall of China" and much more.
So while I agree Biden is pushing some concerning legislation on things like hate speech and nonprofits, that's a separate issue from actually implementing a social credit system. Our focus should be on preventing that kind of technology and infrastructure from taking root in the first place. That's where I think our efforts need to be directed.