back to article Jimbo 'Wikipedia' Wales leads Lawrence Lessig's presidential push

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has signed up as committee chair for tech lawyer Larry Lessig's tilt at the US presidency. “When you light up the Internet, anything is possible,” Wales says in the canned statement announcing his new gig. Lessig's admitted his attempt to win the presidency is futile, but hopes his candidacy …

  1. phil dude
    IT Angle

    for the benefit of mr kite...

    This is political theatre in full swing - all the choices the establishment can throw at the wall. So long as the media is full of argument, there is no chance of actual policy being discussed.

    Forced cognitive dissonance is the new political strategy. Confuse the public with fake information, nuanced opinions and reiterated dogma.

    It would be entertaining, except for the fact, that there are such negative consequences for incompetent governance...

    P.

  2. Gregory Kohs

    More hypocrisy from Jimmy Wales

    Nobody sees the hypocrisy of Lessig trying to turn America "back" into a representative democracy that will force agendas related to climate remediation and gun control, by hiring a pro-gun, anti-government Libertarian as his campaign manager? Newsflash: the $1 million will be used for the personal aggrandizement of Lessig and Wales, not so much for a political "cause". There is no shortage of stooges on the Internet willing to give money to something that they're being misled about.

    1. Andrew Orlowski (Written by Reg staff)

      Re: More hypocrisy from Jimmy Wales

      I think it's an excellent combination.

      The candidate is an "ethics professor" who helped himself to cash from a self-confessed felon in the gaming industry. And a "humanitarian" who franchises the brand to help out dictators buff up their image.

      http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/22/the_withinthelaw_jimmy_wales_on_the_run_with_500000/

      http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/22/lessig_poker_money/

      You could Lessig and Wales go together like peaches and cream.

      1. Mark 85

        Re: More hypocrisy from Jimmy Wales

        You could Lessig and Wales go together like peaches and cream.

        Yes, one could say that... but who'd want any?

      2. Bleu

        Re: More hypocrisy from Jimmy Wales

        Mr. Orlowski,

        your last sentence was missing a verb, I'd guess it was 'say'.

        I would not compare Lessig and Whales.

        Lessig's attempt, at his nation's Supreme Court, to stop the endless extensions of copyrights and trademarks on Mickey Mouse et al., was entirely admirable.

        Disney (not so much Walt, he did the pillaging, too, but I very much doubt that his intention was rights in perpetuity to the characters as trademarks) pillages and debases nineteenth-century literature for children, which was in the public domain, then claims trademark rights.

        Worst example of pillage, Frozen.

        Worst example of theft, Winnie the Pooh, but of course, Milne's estate, although well-off people, were greedy enough to sell a trademark right that did not even exist at the time of Milne's death.

        It is a sick system.

        There is a USSR animated version of what is claimed to be the source material for Frozen, it is much more faithful to the source, and much better. Very touching.

        Lessig's reaction to his loss in court may not have been well-considered, so he falls in with Whales to some extent, but he deserves more than a little respect for his more direct try to reform the system to start with.

  3. James 100

    Empty gesture

    If he really wanted a political campaign, he'd be running for a Congressional seat somewhere tech friendly; instead, it looks as if he wants to be a new Ralph Nader.

    Campaign against the likes of SOPA? Yes, I'd get behind that. "Run" for President, with a platform that doesn't actually make any sense (as Gregory Kohs points out above)? That's just silly. If you must focus on the Presidency, better to use the resources to examine and criticise the platforms of the candidates who actually stand a chance: if you can make even one of the two eventual party nominees shift their position on one issue like copyright, you've achieved more than this "campaign" will.

  4. Mark 85
    Meh

    A one-trick pony?

    Does he have anything else that should be considered for his election? I don't see any policy statements regarding any real issues that affect the common voter. Snowball's chance in hell then of even getting a couple of paragraphs in a non-tech news site, much less even appearing on a ballot.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    chance

    he has a Snowdens chance in America

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