Not a lawyer. Levandowski is trying to avoid turning over (some) documents in the discovery process of the civil lawsuit Waymo is filing against Uber. They are doing this by claiming it could incriminate him and open him up to the possibility of criminal charges.
Will this actually work? Maybe. The fifth amendment is more complex than it might at first seem. One thing that's for sure is that if he is found to be withholding any documents that are relevant to the civil suit, but couldn't realistically incriminate him, this could backfire spectacularly. Hence the statement from his lawyers:
> One of Mr. Levandowski’s lawyers said the Uber executive’s position on invoking the Fifth Amendment may change as they examine the case.
> don't you want voices of reason like Kalanack's to be in his ear?
Generally, yes. However, I believe there is a line that can be crossed where this is no longer a good idea. The association will always lend some credibility to the administration, and when the administration commits an action like the immigration ban, you should stop assisting them in any way, period.
My experience of the NHS in the UK is exactly the same. I've heard of some people gaming the system a little by using private insurance to supplement their healthcare. Then they can get a referral to see a NHS specialist from a private doctor, so no waiting to see a GP who might not give you the referral you want anyway.
Not to say that there aren't also significant problems with US healthcare.
Taxation shouldn't be used as a tool to modify behavior. That's actually the exact opposite of good tax policy. Taxes should be broad based, with few exemptions, to raise the needed revenue while minimizing side effects.
The distortions in housing markets are often partially caused by tax policy, and those areas should be addressed (tax deductions for mortgage interest for example). Other than that, it's best to actually deal with the root problem: outdated zoning laws.
Foreign capital investment is great, so beneficial to the economy.
The problem is with the housing market. Perverse subsidies, out of date zoning laws, and a lot of nimby based lobbying. Fix these things and I doubt anyone, including foreign investors, would be parking capital in property and just leaving it unused.
Will this actually work? Maybe. The fifth amendment is more complex than it might at first seem. One thing that's for sure is that if he is found to be withholding any documents that are relevant to the civil suit, but couldn't realistically incriminate him, this could backfire spectacularly. Hence the statement from his lawyers:
> One of Mr. Levandowski’s lawyers said the Uber executive’s position on invoking the Fifth Amendment may change as they examine the case.