IPac Candidates
IPac will be working this summer to find out where our Presidential and Congressional candidates stand on issues that affect innovation and freedom of expression online. As we find out more, we'll be posting it on our blog.
If you want to help us get in touch with candidates, let us know, or make a contribution to help us keep doing more projects and helping good candidates.
Here are the candidates IPac endorsed in 2006:
Fab Four 2006
Rick Boucher for U.S. House
Rick Boucher (D-VA-9) has been one of the public's greatest champions on information policy, and now his opposition has launched an enormous advertising blitz to unseat him. Rep. Boucher wrote and introduced the Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act (DMCRA, H.R. 107) last year, and he consistently fights for the public's rights to use new technology in innovative ways.
Jeff Miller for U.S. House
Jeff Miller (R-FL-1) is a relatively new member of the house, but he has already shown support for balanced information policy. A cosponsor of the Digital Media Consumer Rights Act, Jeff Miller is the kind of up-and-coming legislator who would benefit greatly from an influx of tech-savvy campaign contributions in this, his second bid for reelection.
Zoe Lofgren for U.S. House
Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-16) serves on the Judiciary Committee, and the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property. A cosponsor of the Digital Media Consumer Rights Act, she introduced (with Doolittle) the Public Domain Enhancement Act to allow abandoned copyright work into the public domain after 50 years.
Joe Barton for U.S. House
Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX-6), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, is one of IPac's strongest ideological allies in Congress. A cosponsor of the Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act, Barton fights for balanced intellectual property restrictions. He has publicly committed to seeing passage of the DMCRA, and has used his powerful committee position to focus Congress on strengthening the Fair Use doctrine. When we win this fight, it will be because of powerful allies like Congressman Barton.
Net Neutrality
Heather Wilson for U.S. House
If you care about network neutrality -- the principle that ISPs shouldn't discriminate over the data that passes over their wires -- then you know that it is being hotly debated in Congress right now. An important step in winning that battle is keeping it from descending into a partisan riot. That's why we've chosen New Mexico's Heather Wilson (R-NM-01) as one of IPac's premiere candidates for 2006. Her support for the public interest on this matter has been unwavering, and she deserves our support.
Fire Hatch
Fire Orrin Hatch, Elect Pete Ashdown
Orrin Hatch is as bad as it gets when it comes to copyright and technology policy. Hatch wanted to blow up computers that are used for unauthorized downloading, he championed a policy that authorizes jail time for sharing a single song on the Internet, and he wrote 2004's ill-fated INDUCE Act.
His opponent, Pete Ashdown, strongly supports technological innovation and balanced information policy. He founded a Utah ISP and has signed IPac's statement of principles. We wholeheartedly endorse Pete's candidacy, and we hope that you'll make a donation for change in Utah. Read more at FireHatch.com or...