>used that time to have a sensible conversation about policy trade offs,

On HN itself, no way. Too many people here make far too much money on ads to want that. It seems the other part that want freedom also want so much freedom it gives huge corporations the freedom to crush them.

>things than a digital age verification that doesn't track every time you use it.

The big companies that pay the politicians don't want that, therefore we won't get that.