IP: Show me your cold, hard cash from MSNBC

[David Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

> From Brock Meeks




=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 WASHINGTON =97 That money is the mother=92s milk of our poli=
tical
system is a given. Slit the wrists of any senator or congressman and he is
likely to bleed green. <Picture>


=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 Until the process changes, until there is real campaign fina=
nce
reform, the computer industry needs to get religion. It=92s time the compute=
r
industry started to open up its corporate checkbooks and pony up some
serious congressional coin.
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 Yes, it=92s a craven, twisted practice; unfortunately, it=92=
s the name
of the game here. Just as unfortunate is the apparent reluctance of the
computer industry to play this game. A romp through the federal campaign
contribution database shows that the computer industry has had its head in
the sand for far too long. Compared to the political contributions made by
heavyweight telephone companies, for example, the computer industry looks
like a 98-pound weakling.=20
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 For example, the political action committee of AT&T contribu=
ted
some $2.75 million to federal campaigns during the last election cycle.
Pacific Telesis, the California telephone company, shelled out $262,215.
And how much did the giant Microsoft fork over? According to campaign
records, the Microsoft PAC gave only $49,518; Compaq computer=92s PAC gave
$85,550. Last week: Keep the NSA off the Net=20


=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 Hell, Steve Jobs, recently reinstalled as part of the flound=
ering
Apple Computer company, alone gave $150,000 in so-called =93soft money=94 to
the Democrats during the last election cycle. By comparison, Bill Gates
(listed in the campaign database as William Gates, William H. Gates and
William H. Gates III) opened his personal checkbook for only $15,400 and
$10,000 of that was to the Microsoft PAC.
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0=20
WHY PLAY INTO A CORRUPT SYSTEM?
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 I can hear the hue and cry now: =93Why should the industry=
 play into
a corrupt system?=94 The answer is simple: Because if it doesn=92t, it=92s g=
oing
to get its ass kicked repeatedly when it comes to issues vital to the
survival of the Internet. Want proof? I submit the Communications Decency
Act.=20
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 The Net community got whipsawed on the CDA because it didn=
=92t have a
presence, didn=92t have a voice in Congress, except perhaps for an
enlightened senator or two and a couple of representatives fighting an
uphill battle. The Net was an unknown constituency in Congress. And to a
large extent, it still is. Fortunately, that is changing, albeit slowly,
with the advent of the Internet Caucus, a group of 85 senators and
representatives whose main goal is educating their colleagues about issues
important to cyberspace. Money doesn=92t buy votes here; at least you=92ll
never get anyone to admit that on the record. But money does buy access.=20


=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 Money doesn=92t buy votes here; at least you=92ll never get=
 anyone to
admit that on the record. But money does buy access. And without access,
you can=92t possibly make your voice heard here among the warp and woof of
other special interest groups with much more cash and cachet.
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 So then, if the industry plays this game, doesn=92t it fall=
 prey to
the same type of criticism that other special interest groups get hammered
with? Yes. But I say it=92s about damn time this industry started making som=
e
noise and letting Congress know exactly that: =93Hey, pay attention! We=92re=
 a
special interest group, too, and we deserve to be heard!=94
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 And the time to strike is now. The Internet is sexy; it=92s=
 always in
the papers, few lawmakers have to be told what the Internet is all about.
But they need to be told the right things. They need to be told that the
Net isn=92t all pornography and stalkers and scams. Yet, left to their own
research, reading the daily press, that=92s exactly the viewpoint Congress i=
s
likely to take.=20
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 This is what happened during the debate over the CDA. Groups
affiliated with the religious right, well versed in the ways of Washington
lobbying and bankrolled to pull it off, convinced Congress that the bill
was nothing more than an anti-pornography issue.
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0=20
ISN=92T THAT JUST BUYING VOTES?=20
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 The cynics will say that pumping dollars into a pol=92s=
 campaign war
chest is tantamount to =93buying=94 votes. And that=92s a fair criticism and=
 one
I recently poised to Rep. Rick White, R-Wash., who happens to be one of the
Net=92s most stalwart defenders as well as having Microsoft as a constituent=
.
(Microsoft is a partner in the joint venture that operates MSNBC).
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 During the last election cycle, White raised some $105,000 f=
rom
companies with a direct interest in seeing that the Internet remained free
from government control and intervention. White advocates a strong =93hands
off=94 policy for government vis-=E0-vis the Internet. Aren=92t all those
campaign contributions simply a political payoff for White=92s continued
support?=20
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 White answers that question by challenging people =93to look=
 at his
voting record and contributions,=94 says Connie Correll, his press secretary=
.
For example, White =93has voted against more money for the B-2 bomber even
though it is one of Boeing=92s major projects and has voted against tobacco
subsidies.=94 Boeing and tobacco companies also contributed to his campaign.=
=20
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 But if you line up his stance on the Internet with those com=
panies
having a direct interest in the Net=92s development, it looks exactly like
his support is a kind of quid pro quo for the campaign contributions.
Correll responds saying: =93Rick is in no way swayed by campaign
contributions =97 he is out to do the right thing and it so happens that he
believes the right approach is less government. If others support that
position that is their decision to make.=94 I want
industry leaders=20
up here, opening their checkbooks to get a chance to tell their story, to
be reckoned with.=20


=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 And that pretty much sums it up. In fact, that=92s the=
 bottom line.
You see, I=92m not advocating that industry leaders roam the marbled halls o=
f
Capitol Hill, looking to stuff four-figure checks into the pockets of our
politicians with the intent of =93buying=94 them. Rather, I want them up her=
e,
opening their checkbooks so they can get a chance to tell their story, to
state their case, to be reckoned with.=20
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 When that happens, when the Net community and this industry =
become
=93players=94 if you will, then at least this community we call cyberspace w=
ill
have a fighting chance, with laws and regulations being made and voted on
from a reasoned and intelligent viewpoint. If not, Congress will likely
continue being led around by a nose ring that=92s being yanked on by better
financed, better organized and more vocal groups that definitely don=92t hav=
e
the best interests of the Internet at heart.
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 So, play the game... or don=92t bitch about getting beat in =
this
playground they call Washington, D.C.
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 Meeks out ..