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Read his statement on NDAA and SOPA here and see if you agree: http://peteashdown.org/journal/2012/01/06/ndaa-sopa-and-upcoming-volunteer-meetin/

Pete Ashdown isn't running for president, but he is running for a senate seat against that epic ass clown Orrin Hatch. He started the best ISP I've ever used here in Utah and has run for congress before with a very tech-savvy platform and utilized cool technologies in his campaign.

Check him out: http://peteashdown.org/

In my mind getting rid of Orrin Hatch and getting Pete Ashdown to replace him is killing two birds with one stone.

Beyond unworkable, there are other issues at play including 4th Amendment rights. This is covered in Pete Ashdown's blog (Pete is an ISP owner)

Pete Ashdown (a democrat and owner of an ISP of all things) posted a nice write up on net neutrality and the issues involved.

Net neutrality is hard to talk about because it has so many facets, one of them is passing traffic on. When we talk about ISPs allowing traffic to pass through their network because thats the fastest route thats net neutrality that I fight for. But when we talk about prioritizing traffic it's hard to argue that network owners shouldn't be able to regulate their traffic.

Ashdown points at spam as a big example, without being able to throttle down the connections being sent from spam networks the whole network would run slower. Plus X-Mission(Ashdown's ISP) focuses on gaming and so they pass on higher priority to gaming connections. The advantage to gamers is obvious.

Finally, if ISPs try to minimize bittorrent traffic, change the port you're using! The ISP will be none the wiser because bittorrent doesn't travel from a central network they have not other way of tracking it. Lots of clients do this. Or use your money to vote and change ISP for a less facist one.

You say that powerful senior senators bring home pork for their constituents, but Orrin Hatch doesn't. Utah is well below average in federal largesse in spite of its thirty-year senator.

Utahns just feel comfortable with Hatch and Ashdown hasn't given them a good enough reason to reconsider. Mostly that's because Ashdown doesn't have enough money to blanket the state with media and the right wedge issues to make it stick.

It's also because Utah votes very Republican so it's hard to make a case to just swing voters and win, Ashdown has to win over a large proportion of the Republicans, too.

The same dynamic keeps most senators reelected. This is very different from the Ted Stevens (Pork-Alaska) and Robert Byrd (Pork-WV) approach where they really do bring in barrels of federal cash; only a few senators can manage that.

Too bad, because Ashdown would be the one voice that could really get digital freedom issues a hearing on Capitol Hill.

And the rest of you slashdotters haven't helped much in the fund raising, either. Head over to Pete's Site and give a little.

Up on the tightrope here, I have one group of critics telling me that I haven't stood my ground on issues, and another group telling me I've said too much. One side says I've been too passive in my campaign, the other side tells me that I've been too aggressive on the attack. Some people love the commercials and the media I've made, others hate it. Lincoln was right, there is no pleasing everyone all the time.

Relating to headlines, take some time and read the press releases I have put out. Most of them have been ignored wholesale by the press. The only thing that grabs headlines these days is when you do things differently. I think I've done a pretty good job at that.

Codified issues are located on the issues page. If you want something finalized, tell me what it is. I unfortunately have to spend a lot of time away from the keyboard. If you've ever met me in person, you'd know that there isn't a question I won't answer and I don't avoid taking positions.

Find me another candidate anywhere who has as many stands on their web page or has openly discussed over 40 in some online form like I have on my Wiki.

I'm in Utah, actually knew he was running and yet I have barely heard a word about him.

Do you read the paper or watch TV? That's OK, you can catch up at my media page.

You really need to take a look at what I'm pledging. I think term limits are a good short term solution, but the real problem is incumbent advantage. Eliminate that and if you have a level playing field for elections, voters really are the term limits.

Did you bother to read my issues before passing judgement? How about watching the debates? Reading the interviews?

Whomever did this photo of Pete could have done better. They've used wide f-stop creating a narrow depth of focus. Thats OK except when you do it on someone up close, it makes their nose look big. Also, because his face is in focus but his shoulders and body aren't, they look like they are a long way away - so he looks like he has a 2' neck.

He lost my vote when he refused to endorse Stochasticracy.

One commentor posted a link to Pete Ashburn's wiki, so I was excited to add a link back to slashdot on it (and figured Pete and his supporters would be happy to know he was featured on a popular national tech site).

However, on page after page after page, I continually received "this page is locked" warnings. I still e-mailed Pete, but even so ... to disallow members from editing seems against the purpose of a Wiki and Pete's collaboration goals.

As the wired article states, he has a wiki version of his campaign platform where people can contribute. This is awesome, in my opinion. Check it out and tell me you're not impressed!

The irony of this thread is making my head explode.

Pete Ashdown for U.S. Senate

Check out his oppenent in the current election, Pete Ashdown. Pete is the founder of XMission, the first Internet Service Provider in Utah. He has all the tech savvy you could want and is intelligent on other issues as well. His campaign could use your support in these final days, by clicking here.

Its a shame geeks nation-and world)wide have not risen up to get one of their kind elected to the U.S. Senate, and in the process depose one the people who has done more to harm the tech industry than anyone else.

Check out the Press section of Pete's page, you will find articles in Wired and videos of debates....he is the real thing, get behind him.

Check out his oppenent in the current election, Pete Ashdown. Pete is the founder of XMission, the first Internet Service Provider in Utah. He has all the tech savvy you could want and is intelligent on other issues as well. His campaign could use your support in these final days, by clicking here.

Its a shame geeks nation-and world)wide have not risen up to get one of their kind elected to the U.S. Senate, and in the process depose one the people who has done more to harm the tech industry than anyone else.

Check out the Press section of Pete's page, you will find articles in Wired and videos of debates....he is the real thing, get behind him.

It is not just a problem in the EU and UK. We have major IT issues related to privacy, government and oversight here in the US and this is why we need to start populating the political system with politicians who *understand* some of the political issues. People like Pete Ashdown who is running against Orin Hatch (the guy who wanted to remotely destroy computers of those who download music) in Utah are the types of folks that we need to elect. Pete owns one of the first ISPs in Utah and has been at the technological forefront for a number of years. He understands how technology impacts government and business and effects the lives of private citizens.

Populating the political landscape with technologically savvy folks will eventually happen as a matter of statistics, but right now we are dealing with lawyers, jocks and business people as politicians who it seems frequently rely on their staff to even read and answer their emails, much less actually possessing an understanding of more complex technological issues or their wider implications. However, with issues like the massive cost overruns and failure of projects like the FBIs agency wide computer system, loss of privacy and government intrusion into our lives sought by those in the Republican party (OT: what happened to the Republicans? They *used* to be about smaller government, less intrusion into our lives, lower taxes, and a strong military. They are now 180degrees off from all of those issues), we need a new generation of politicians who will be responsive to the people they represent, will understand some of the complex technological issues and all of the social, political and economic implications that technology brings.

When I first heard about this thing, my immediate thought was "it's gotta be that fuckhead from Alaska. Wait -- he couldn't possibly be that stupid, could he? ... Yeah, he could." How was he not the first person they looked into?

Perhaps because there are others just as bad. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), to name one. (Yes, I am from Utah, and yes, I AM planning to vote for Hatch's opponent, Pete Ashdown, in November.)

This is why we need people who understand technology to run for office. This is one reason I am running and I hope you either run yourself or support a candidate who does have a clue. Don't leave these decisions to the people who think the Internet is a "series of tubes".

Yet more proof that the technology industry needs Pete Ashdown to counter the asinine positions pushed by Ted Stevens and (Ashdown's opponent) Orrin Hatch. The nice thing is that even if you can't donate to the campaign, you can still help Pete receive funds by casting an email vote.

For those who don't know, Ashdown is running for Orrin Hatch's US Senate seat. One of the interesting things about his campaign is that he uses the Internet heavily for communicating with potential voters, and intends to continue using it if elected -- one of the planks of his platform is that government should be more transparent and that the Internet provides the tools to make it that way.

A key feature of his site is a Wiki that sets out his positions on all of the issues. The wiki is closely monitored for vandalism, but serious changes are allowed to stand for a time, to generate discussion. In the end, Ashdown decides what his opinions are and changes the site to reflect his stance, but he does modify his opinions when he sees what he considers to be good ideas. He also uses the discussion pages to conduct an interactive debate on the issues. I've modified a few of his positions and he adopted some of my ideas (e.g. on the problems with current copyright law) and rejected others (e.g. on nuclear energy).

I think a wiki works extremely well for that purpose.

<plug>

BTW, if you dislike Hatch's politics (as most geeks do -- this is the guy who thinks it's a good idea to give the RIAA the power to destroy the computers of those they think are sharing their music illegally), you should consider donating to Ashdown's campaign. If he can get the funding, Ashdown has a real shot at unseating Orrin Hatch, because per recent polls, most Utahns think that Hatch has been in power too long, and think it's time for someone new. Ashdown is a Democrat, which is an instant handicap in Utah, but he's a conservative Democrat with positions on the issues that can win in Utah. Further, even Utahns are largely disillusioned by Bush's administration and Republican party support is weaker than normal. Pete Ashdown's biggest problem is that the normal Democratic party funding sources don't seem to believe that Hatch can be unseated, so he's having a tough time raising the money he'll need to get his message out. If geeks around the country toss Ashdown a few bucks, though, and demonstrate that he can raise significant capital on his own, the normal funding will flow.

So if you'd like to see senatorial politics become more open and transparent, if you'd like to see a guy in the Senate that actually understands the Internet (Ashdown founded Utah's first ISP, and it's still one of the best) or if you'd like to see that wacko Orrin Hatch out of office, send Ashdown some money.

Pete Ashdown, running for the US Senate in Utah against Orin Hatch, has had a wiki for most of his campaign. http://vote.peteashdown.org/wiki/

You can take just a couple of extra seconds and make a difference with your opinions on Net Neutrality

Here's another option as well: Donate money to Pete Ashdown who is a candidate for Orrin Hatch's US Senate seat in Utah.

Pete is the owner and founder of XMission, Utah's oldest ISP, and still one of its best. He understands the Internet thoroughly. Not only that:

1. Pete believes that senatorial representation should be an open, transparent and communicative process. His campaign site includes a wiki to allow people to collaborate on his positions. He retains the final say on his platform, but is willing to engage in honest debate and you can change his mind. A couple of points I made to him about copyright law have been added to his formal position on the issue.
2. He really *does* have a chance to win. In a poll last year, 47% of likely voters in Utah indicated that they want to see Orrin Hatch out of office -- even without knowing who might be in his place. Pete is a democrat, and democrats don't traditionally fare well in Utah, but he's a moderate-to-conservative Utah democrat and people will vote for him if they know who he is and what he stands for.
3. He's running against Orrin Hatch!. You know, the guy who wants to allow the RIAA to destroy your computer if they suspect you of sharing their music. The guy is a fruitcake and is particularly offensive on geek issues.

Ashdown's biggest problem is money. He can beat Hatch, but he needs the funding to run an aggessive campaign, and he's not going to get it from the traditional democratic funding sources, because they long ago decided that Hatch is unbeatable. But if he can gather nationwide geek donations, demonstrating his ability to raise funds and mount a solid campaign, the democratic party will jump on board, and other major campaign contributors in Utah will as well.

Send the guy some cash and help jump-start a campaign that eliminates Hatch, puts a technically-savvy guy in the senate and shows how the Internet can change -- and improve! -- the way democracy works in the USA.

Seriously. He takes paypal. Send him $5.

Even if you're not a resident, you can send him a campaign contribution to help him win.

Take down Hatch!

I think the Utah Senator had his hands in some related issues, such as the DMCA. Pete Ashdown is running for the Senate in Utah and is probably a better choice than Hatch on these issues. Unfortinutely, Ashdown is a Democrat and Utah is largly Republican.

You're right, except for the fact that this politico is embracing the idea.

How I'd love to see this guy bump that asshat Orrin Hatch out of office!

If any of you think that your Wiki submissions will actually be taken seriously should dream on. His staff is checking the entries for Vandalism, which will definitely ensure an unbiased view on the issues. Furthermore, he's already made up his mind on the issues otherwise he'd not be running against Hatch.

Apparently, he already has gotten support of Boing Boing. Oh, and he supports the EFF. So line up Slashdotters...cuz he's got your pet issue covered.

There *is* a Wiki and you can edit it just like any other :-)

http://vote.peteashdown.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Pa ge

At Pete Ashdown's site page on economic issues, he claims "The United States of America has historically been an economic superpower and an innovator of technology. We harnessed electricity, invented the light-bulb and the television, but what have we produced lately?"

Let's see: The iPod, the SonicCare toothbrush, the Tivo, the E-Z pass, and there are these little things called CPUs produced by Intel and AMD.

U.S. resident inventors received 85,238 out of 165,485 U.S. patents in fiscal year 2005, which isn't too bad for a country that has only 6% of global population.

He then goes on to add: "Meanwhile the international community is closing in on energy production through fusion, and guess where the first operating plant is being built -- not in the U.S.A." Despite the fact that the plant in question, ITER, is a multinational project with partial American funding and scientific support! Moreover, ITER is not going to be an "operating plant," it will be a "fusion experiment" and is in no way a real prototype of a fusion plant.

Furthermore, he states "The Chinese are gearing up to clean our clock economically with no oil dependence at all." Based on empirical evidence, Chinese economic growth is compatible with US economic growth. Moreover, while the Chinese are beginning to investigate nuclear fission, and they have plans to build huge numbers of coal-burning electic power plants, they have no plans to eradicate their oil usage.

Mr. Ashdown appears to be AN ECONOMIC IDIOT.

Where is that Wiki...

I just hit up his wiki at:

http://vote.peteashdown.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Pa ge

And under the main article it clearly states:

"I AM PETER OF GAYTORIA HEAR MY ROAR"

So I think partisan politics is the least of his worries with an open wiki. Heck... Even encyclopediadramatica isn't an open wiki.

This link to the actual wiki was omitted from the original post:

http://vote.peteashdown.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Pa ge

For the record I think the wiki is a great idea. It's the next evolutionary step from blogging, and fosters a more open, transparent environment for discussion

-OH

"Any legitimate purchaser of media or technology should be able to use their property as they see fit without government intervention. Technology progresses rapidly and we need technologically savvy lawmakers who can lead us in sound policy making. Currently, there are legislators who repeatedly attempt to pass laws reigning in the Internet and other technologies. They do this at the beck and call of multibillion dollar industries by expanding the definition of copyright. Industry which refuses to adapt to technology should not be protected by making that technology illegal. Smaller music and film companies use the Internet to their benefit and should not be penalized by the behemoths' refusal of progress. Lawmakers tilting the playing field do not encourage small business and home innovators to take risks, and thus hold back our economy." from http://vote.peteashdown.org/bio/

He gets my Vote... if I lived in Utah, also one of his previous jobs was a Computer Tech, which makes him over qualified for Politics... but oh well :)

If you care about video game legislation, why don't you go insert a policy statment about video games into Pete Ashdown's policy & strategy wiki (via).

Writing your congressman may not be enough, either. If, for instance, your congressman happens to be Orrin Hatch, well, forget writing. Your only response will be a form letter that doesn't directly address the question, and that, in short, says "I'm right, you're wrong, deal with it." (I've lost count of how many of those form letters I've gotten from Senator Hatch's office over the years.) You have two options in that instance: vote for (and donate to) Pete Ashdown, or vote for (and donate to) Steve Urquhart.

Come to that, even if Orrin Hatch isn't your congressman, if fair use is of any interest to you, you may still want to donate to one of his opponents. I don't care which one: either would be an improvement.

OK, I guess you have a third option: vote for Hatch again, and then bend over and take it.