A Few Technologists in Washington

by stomv

2
Supporters 810
Raised $
Distributed among the recipients below  

The candidates below are all doing something interesting related to science and technology, and you might find their stories particularly interesting. Few of these races are expected to be "down-to-the-wire", but by financing the technological good guys, we're reminding the rest of Congress that there is a big picture in technology, and it's not necessarily the Sony flat screen showing Disney movies streamed over Comcast broadband.

If you know of any candidates working extra hard for good technology policy, please let me know.


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Image of Jerry McNerney

Jerry McNerney

CA-11 (Map)

McNerney's tech connection: he's a Ph.D. engineer who's spent the last 20 years working on wind power. Dr. McNerney doesn't just appreciate and advocate for good technology -- he's spent a lifetime developing it and working with it directly! Help keep Congressman McNerney working to expand green energy throughout the USA.




Update: In 2008 Rep McNerney was reelected by a 55-45 margin.

Raised on this page: 0 0
Raised across ActBlue: 1,172 41,160

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Image of Rick Boucher

Rick Boucher

VA-09 (Map)

Incumbent Rep. Rick Boucher is the House's geek rock star. He advocates fair use, fought against the anti-P2P legislation, and constantly battles against the DMCA, spam, and the erosion of civil rights and liberties in cyberspace. He's even guest blogged for Lawrence Lessig. His district includes Virginia Tech.




Rep Boucher was unopposed 2008. It is expected that he will continue to work for good technology legislation.

Raised on this page: 0 0
Raised across ActBlue: 5 415

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Image of Zoe Lofgren

Zoe Lofgren

CA-16 (Map)

Rep. Lofgren is on this list at the (indirect) recommendation of Professor Lawrence Lessig. I asked him for more recommendations, and he pointed me to IPac, a political action committee "dedicated to preserving individual freedom through balanced intellectual property policy." Therefore, Zoe Lofgren is the intellectual property representative of this list.




Update: In 2008 Rep Lofgren was reelected by a 71-24 margin.

Raised on this page: 0 0
Raised across ActBlue: 11 52

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Deval Patrick

MA-Gov

Technology isn't just 1s and 0s. Deval Patrick makes the Technologists list because he's supporting the Cape Wind Project off the coast of Cape Cod, MA. This project would use wind turbines to generate enough electricity to power 70% of the needs of Cape Cod, but has generated opposition because seemingly tiny masts would be visible on the horizon on clear days, "marring" the view from million dollar vacation homes.

Deval Patrick understands that technology can be used to help keep America's environment clean, reduce energy prices, and help free energy supply from the grasp of foreign nations.

Update: Deval Patrick won the race. In his first two years he's worked on life science funding, on using technology to green the state government, on laying regulatory groundwork for sea-based wind power and for solar power, and improved the state websites to improve accessibility and openness. Cape Wind hasn't been built yet though...

Raised on this page: 0 0
Raised across ActBlue: 0 0

This election has ended.

Image of Russ Feingold

Russ Feingold

WI-Sen (Map)

Sen. Russ Feingold (D) will defend his seat against Republican Tim Michels. As the only senator to vote against the USA PATRIOT Act, he gets a listing here. Feingold's vote reminds us that responsible use of technology includes not using new electronic capabilities to violate civil liberties.

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

-- Benjamin Franklin


Update:

Senator Russ Feingold successfully defended his seat, winning by 12 points. He will surely continue his work to undo the problematic parts of the PATRIOT Act.

Raised on this page: 2 270
Raised across ActBlue: 18 606

This election has ended.

Total: 00,000