Chris Nolan moderates a panel with Zephyr Teachout and Andrew Rasiej.

Andrew says most politicians are technologic idiots. He says that in 2001 Sen. Diane Feinstein said that she didn’t think the Senate should not be on the Internet until the pornography and pedophilia is gone. Sen. Chuck Schumer then asked Andrew: I get 10,000 emails a day. How can I make them stop.

Zephyr talks about a college course she’s teaching on politics and the Internet. She says she has her students studying Estonia, which is highly wired and has integrated governance and the Net.

Z: Even if FEMA had messed up in every way they did, if they had made their data transparent…

Andrew: I went to DC and suggested the creation of the equivalent of a National Guard of techies. Deploy wifi transmitters, etc. It passed 97 to 0 as part of the Homeland Security Office. But no one has done anything about it.

Andrew: During the campaign, I met Michael Bloomberg. He said to me, “Oh, you’re the wifi guy!” [Andrew ran for NYC ombudsman in part on a muniwifi platform.” Bloomberg then asked, “Would we have to dig up the streets?” People in that operating system believe that networks consist of people who have touched one another’s skin. [HE demos a politicians arm grip.] People in the power structure have no threat of risk from these new networks. It’ll take a change in generation.

Q: Much as we may scoff at Bloomberg, et al., we should put ourselves in their mindset. [Discussion ensues.]

Z: In the UK, they have started having limited term engagements with politicians. E.g., a month of chat with an MP. A good way to introduce them.

Chris: The Telcom Act of 1996 is being rewritten. She hopes that wifi will become a consumer issue because then the politicians won’t be able to cut off access. [I wish I agreed.]

Q: Does this start with the cities? With the technorati?

Chris: Yes.

Z: Other campaigns don’t want to hear about any lesson from the Dean campaign beyond building the email list because the rest of it was about losing control…no, that’s the wrong phrase (Z says). It’s about trust.

Andrew: I’ve suggested to MoveOn.org that they introduce their members to one another. But they’re afraid that some group will do something embarrassing, e.g., equate W with Hitler.

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