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Should Mr. Smith E-mail Washington?
Posted by Matt Fagin on Monday, November 25 @ 16:44:47 EST Governance
Slate has a posted a story ( Silicon Valley vs. K Street: Why computer geeks should give up on politics. ) that cautions against technologists trying to impact the political process. In particular, it warns that geeks should rethink their plans to march on D.C. in response to DRM-oriented legislation such as Sen. Hollings's Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act and Rep. Berman's call for a legislation that would permit P2P piracy.

Author Paul Boutin advises that technologists stick with what they are best at - technological end-runs - rather than "try to beat government on its own turf." Boutin's criticisms of the false fit between the tech sector and big government are well taken. That said, the argument that Silicon Alley should take a back seat to Hollywood is ill-advised at a time when overbroad and misguided legislation promises to fundamentally impact the way that technology does business.

Boutin responds in part to Declan McCullagh's new piece on the rise of Geek PAC's, which describes the development of and need for tech-friendly political activism and lobbying.

 
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