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1.  

   

   Anonymous Coward, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 1:30pm

   
   

   Should someone from pharma run the FDA? Should someone from Wall Street run the SEC?
   
   A broadband czar? Wouldn't that be about as effective as the drug czar?
   
   Tims article is good though, someone should send it to McCain.

    

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2.  

   

   Missing Frame, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 1:43pm

   
   

   We need a czar czar

   We need a czar czar to manage the czars.

    

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3.  

   

   Scott, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 1:43pm

   
   

   Of Course!

   I work with clueless people all day in the tech industry. No one else besides me has a clue how stuff works around here. Why would politicians be any different?

    

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4.  

   

   CJay, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 1:47pm

   
   

   DIY is fine by me

   An industry insider certainly could pose a conflict of interest (not to mention they make more money in the private sector, so why would they?) but what about academia? Hell I'll take a politician that has set up his own home network and can work iTunes (and of course reads techdirt)!

    

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5.  

   

   Jake, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 1:51pm

   
   

   Actually, for probably the first time since the Internet became mainstream, every single candidate has someone on their campaign payroll who understand the Internet at a moderately deep level. Here's hoping it occurs to whoever wins to give this person a job when they get into office.

    

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6.  

   

   PRMan, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 1:54pm

   
   

   Techies are too smart to hold political positions

   Why would any savvy technician give up a fun job where we get to solve computer problems all day for one where we go to Washington and are forced to deal with the worst sort of underhanded political games?
   
   Many techies already get enough of that at work. Why would they want to take a pay cut and move their family to the craphole that is Washington DC to make political nonsense a full-time job?

    

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7.  

   

   Aaron, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 1:59pm

   
   

   this is exactly what South Korea did back in the day. They realized that broadband was a national asset that could be best utilized and developed by smart industry people not lawyers.

    

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8.  

   

   CustomComputers, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 2:18pm

   
   

   Re: We need a czar czar

   HOW TRUE! A REAL LEADER IS CERTAINLY IN ORDER.
   
   When the US can become un-Chennyed and out of the Bushes our
   country will be much better off.

    

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9.  

   

   Asher, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 2:31pm

   
   

   Actually, I disagree. The top person needs to be a good manager. HE then needs to hire people who know what they are talking about. He then needs to LISTEN to what they have to say. The top person in charge usually has too much buerocracy to deal with, and no time for the issues.
   It is Warren Buffets philosophy and it works for him. Surround yourself by people who know what they are doing and let them do it,and keep your hands and lobbyists off!!!

    

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10.  

    

    Greg, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 2:46pm

    
    

    Appointing Experts to Govermnent Technology Positi

    I have been working in technical fields for the past 40 years. Nothing has changed. Politicians maintain themselves at a comfortable level of ignorance so they can vote for what they or their constituents believe to be true whether it is or not. They staff regulatory agencies with lawyers and bureaucrats. There are a few technically competent people, but not in policy making positions. The lawyers are the most harmful since in this country they are trained to be advocates for a certain position which leads them to latch onto a policy and defend it by collecting all of the data in favor of that position and systematically ignoring, denigrating, or suppressing opposing points of view. If the agencies weren't so slow moving there would be absolutely no progress. Luckily, they usually can't keep up with us so the barriers they create are harmful but not insurmountable.

     

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11.  

    

    tired, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 2:46pm

    
    

    The reason that all the social security numbers and cc#'s are spread all over the internet is because no one on a high level has a clue.
    
    I once had a conversation with a certain state atty general that left me shaking my head after a huge data spill. She actually said "the google".

     

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12.  

    

    Joe, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 2:54pm

    
    

    Re:

    I wouldn't go so far to say that each campaign has someone who understands the internet and they should get the job in discussion. I think they know how to market or utilize the internet. That is much different then policy making in regard to how best to stear advancement/regulation on the net, or for companies who provide net type services.

     

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13.  

    

    Anonymous Coward, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 3:48pm

    
    

    Do you think politicians and staffers laugh at you when you think you have politics figured out as much as you laugh at their attempts to understand technology? [Hint: yes, they do.] The idea that a techie would have the political savvy to even understand the territory is laughable, and such a person would lack any sort of independent political capital to expend in getting the job done -- no favors owed to them means that their power is roughly equivalent to the extent of which the president or senior staff has an ongoing interest in the problem at hand.
    
    Yes, you all sound just as stupid to political insiders as they probably sound to you when you hear "the google" escape their lips...

     

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14.  

    

    Monarch, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 3:49pm

    
    

    Re: by Anonymous Coward on Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 1:30pm

    "Should someone from pharma run the FDA? Should someone from Wall Street run the SEC?"
    
    Well, I would hope someone with a doctorate in chemistry or someone with a Medical Doctorate runs the FDA. I'd also hope someone with a degree in economics or finance runs the SEC, with hopes they have taken and passed the exams necessary to be a trader.
    So I'd really hope someone with a degree in CompSci preferably in Networking and Preferably with at least a CCIE cert would be the advisor on Network Backbone or tech advisor for the pres.

     

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15.  

    

    Lojiko, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 3:58pm

    
    

    I nominate Ray Kurzweil. That would be interesting. He'd probably turn it down given he's doing much more interesting things.

     

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16.  

    

    some other guy, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 4:18pm

    
    

    Re:

    "A broadband czar? Wouldn't that be about as effective as the drug czar?"
    
    Bad comparison. There is no 'War On Broadband'

     

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17.  

    

    Thom. Paine X, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 5:52pm

    
    

    @some other guy & others.
    
    The point is there should be no one at the Federal level who should be in charge of technology! Let's read the constitution. The Internet was developed by the Defense Department, but it was not until it got into the hands of the private sector that the "dirt road" became the internet superhighway. The Internet is commmunication not commerce.
    
    Let's keep the feds out of everything, but the military and let's leep the military for defense puposes only.

     

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18.  

    

    Anonymous Coward, Apr 2nd, 2008 @ 7:01pm

    
    

    Re:

    "The Google" 'eh? And Al Gore invented that too, I am sure.
    
    But seriously, it seems the only state with decent legislators is Washington State. They passed the 1995 SPAM act, and numerous other citizen-friendly, tech-based laws. Other states should take notice.

     

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19.  

    

    Alimas, Apr 3rd, 2008 @ 5:12am

    
    

    Re:

    You sound like a complete moron.
    Your entire argument is based upon extreme generalizations of people in two different careers and not even for any reason involving said careers.
    Your entire comment is laughable.

     

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20.  

    

    Alimas, Apr 3rd, 2008 @ 5:14am

    
    

    Re: Re:

    Tell that to Comcast.

     

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21.  

    

    Alimas, Apr 3rd, 2008 @ 5:20am

    
    

    Managerial Expertise

    Someone on here mentioned focusing on someone that had managerial experience and surrounding him with tech people to yield the best results. I say require both.
    There are lots of ways to get and prove skills in leading people and it should be just as much a requirement as being tech savvy.

     

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22.  

    

    bshock, Apr 3rd, 2008 @ 8:42am

    
    

    nice idea

    First, people need to elect a president who is capable of understanding he or she needs people who understand technology. Not someone, say, who is clearly suffering from advanced Alzheimer's disease, or who is delusional enough to put up a truly laughable YouTube video as a promotion.
    
    Although at this point, I'd be satisfied with a president who wasn't a puppet of Big Business.
    
    I know, I'm a dreamer.

     

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23.  

    

    Anonymous Coward, Apr 3rd, 2008 @ 9:57am

    
    

    Let's keep the feds out of everything, but the military and let's leep the military for defense puposes only.
    
    Didn't you know the best defense is a good offense?

     

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