NationStates Jolt Archive

And this ought to be proof-positive that I'm an equal-opportunity snark-meister.

From the TPM Cafe (http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/8/15/8488/56208):Let me give you an example from my own experience. Around the year 2000, I started trying to give advice to Democratic politicians about technology and how it could change politics. (I got into all of this after working in both the digital music business as it was just getting started, and in launching a non-profit called MOUSE that trains public school kids to be their schools' own technology troubleshooters. More on that later.)

Once, in the spring of 2001, I was invited by then-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle to address the Senate Democratic caucus.

snip

Here are two responses I got. First Senator Dianne Feinstein raised her hand and said, "Senator Daschle, the Internet is full of pornography and pedophilia, and until that's cleaned up, I don't think the Senate should be on the Internet." (And she represents Silicon Valley!) Afterwards, another senator came up to me and said, "Andrew, I get 10,000 emails a day into my office. How do I make it stop?"
Now things have obviously gotten better since 2001 for the Democrats as a whole, but I'd be willing to bet that Feinstein is still pretty dense when it comes to computer technology.

Why is there a technologically illiterate dumbass representing the heart of America's technology!? I mean, they should have Al Gore representing them; he had the foresight to push a lot of technology related laws during the 90's.

Why is there a technologically illiterate dumbass representing the heart of America's technology!? I mean, they should have Al Gore representing them; he had the foresight to push a lot of technology related laws during the 90's.
Well, because Gore is from Tennessee, not California, and because Feinstein is a machine politician in the truest sense of the word. She gets cast as an uber-liberal because she represents California, and because she was once the mayor of San Francisco. But at heart, and based on her voting record, she's a machine politician, and a buddy of corporations and real estate magnates.

Crazy...but somehow that makes a lot of sense as to why the politics of the internet laws are so messed up. Like Napster and sharing files and everything, why wasn't there something done EARLIER. Like just recently about the Do Not Call list, why not a Do Not E-mail list! The internet is just too open, but not THAT open to be all bad.

Well, because Gore is from Tennessee, not California, and because Feinstein is a machine politician in the truest sense of the word. She gets cast as an uber-liberal because she represents California, and because she was once the mayor of San Francisco. But at heart, and based on her voting record, she's a machine politician, and a buddy of corporations and real estate magnates.

I know he's from Tennessee, but Ronald Reagan was from Illinois and Ahnold's from Austria, so it's worth a shot. He'd be better than the cogs in the machine they've got now.

I seriously dislike the machines on both sides. I mean, she's served for 12 years now; it's time to get some people with more current views in there.

Senator Feinstein is an idiot.. I'm ashamed of this state... ashamed they voted for her.

Senator Feinstein is an idiot.. I'm ashamed of this state... ashamed they voted for her.
Problem is, now that she's in, it's going to be near impossible to beat her. The Republican party in California is a shambles, and she's got so much stroke with the Democrats that she'd really have to screw up for someone to challenge her effectively from her left.

Problem is, now that she's in, it's going to be near impossible to beat her. The Republican party in California is a shambles, and she's got so much stroke with the Democrats that she'd really have to screw up for someone to challenge her effectively from her left.

I voted for the republican, and I can't even remember his name. Both parties in this state are in shambles. She's the only thing the democrats really have in this state.