Re: Ready to get your federal computer license?

[Chris Grundemann <cgrundemann () gmail com>]

On Sun, Aug 30, 2009 at 20:28, Steven M. Bellovin<smb () cs columbia edu> wrote:
> On Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:20:55 -0400
> Eric Brunner-Williams <brunner () nic-naa net> wrote:
>
> > randy,
> >
> > moveon is a maine-based org. it is an effective, fund raising,
> > partisan organization. it is much more than a click-and-opine
> > vehicle, it puts hundreds of thousands of dollars into competitive
> > races, and has a competent political director.
> >
> > to create a "NagOn" we would have to hire or appoint a political
> > director, and a financial director, and charge each with framing the
> > issue, and executing a seven figure plan, and a communications
> > director, to put the message with the money in targeted media
> > markets, and finally, to show teeth, drop the margin of error, or on
> > the order of high five, low six figures, in targeted congressional
> > races, for challengers and incumbants.
> >
> > in about a year after starting down this path, the "Congressman, its
> > NagOn on line one" conversation would be slightly different from
> > today, and in several years time, more so.
> "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
>
> I don't know that a NagOn is the best way or the only way to make
> progress.  I do know that the most likely source of that kind of
> funding is (many of) our employers, who may not have technical
> excellence on the top of their lists.  But I'm even more certain that
> if technical people never speak up, their message will never be heard,
> except perhaps by accident.
>
>                --Steve Bellovin, http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~smb

I believe that this is exactly the kind of thing that the US ISOC
Chapters should be (and are to varying degrees) involved in --
providing legitimate technical information and expert analysis of
local, state and federal policies which impact the Internet, to those
making the policies.  The global ISOC already does this for ICANN and
other international organizations, it seems fitting that the chapters
do more of this here inside the USA.

I encourage everyone with even a fleeting interest in tech-policy to
seek out their local ISOC chapter
(http://www.isoc.org/isoc/chapters/list.php?region=worldwide&status=A)
and let them know that you care.  I can tell you as the founding chair
of the Colorado chapter that my largest hurdle today is getting active
members to participate - I have funding, etc, just no help...  (I
invite everyone to contact me directly with suggestions and ideas in
this vein - I have some vehicles in place to start making this happen
quickly with a bit of help)

</soapbox>
~Chris

-- 
Chris Grundemann
weblog.chrisgrundemann.com
www.burningwiththebush.com
www.coisoc.org