Google's New Lobbying Power in Washington

*SECADM writes "Learning from Microsoft's error, Google is building a lobbying power house in Washington." From the Washington Post article: Two years ago, Google was on the verge of making that Microsoft-like error. Davidson, then a 37-year-old former deputy director of the Center for Democracy & Technology, was the search-engine company's sole staff lobbyist in Washington. As recently as last year, Google co-founder Sergey Brin had trouble getting meetings with members of Congress. To change that, Google went on a hiring spree and now has 12 lobbyists and lobbying-related professionals on staff here — more than double the size of the standard corporate lobbying office — and is continuing to add people.

I, for one, welcome our...

[Will the Chill]

Googling-Money Oogling-Paige Congressional Overlords!

-WtC

Obligatory

[xinjiang77]

In Soviet Russia, Google controls the government.

Re:So?

[Puff of Logic]

I'm telling you people, this is just a harbinger of what's to come. A thousand years from now, as the Google empire reigns with an iron fist over the cringing masses of humanity, records will tell of that legendary sage Puff of Logic and his predictions of Google's rise to empire!

Yep. They're evil...

[usa1mac]

12 lobbyists. Wow. Sounds like something a Tobacco company would need.

Don't worry

[niceone]

Don't worry, Google's lobbying office's motto is: "Do no lobbying".

Funniest thing I've read in forever

[MerlynEmrys67]

To make friends on Capitol Hill, Google plans to initiate Google 101, a series of tutorials for congressional aides that will teach them how to use Google's search engine better and faster. The aides will learn, for example, how to do simple math by writing numbers in the proper order on Google's search line.

So you are telling me that these people aren't capable of doing math - either in their head, on paper, or with a calculator that they have to learn how to do math with Google?

Evil, for want of a better word, is Good

[BillGatesLoveChild]

> Google is building a lobbying power house in Washington

Google is so rich they why don't they just buy Dick Chenney? They can afford him, and not like he's not for sale. He can also lend his expert skills to filling in that void left by the ever shrinking 'Don't do Evil' motto. You'll get FOXNews and the rebranded Wall Street Journal thrown in for free.

The result would be excellent PR: Within six months 56% of Americans will believe Microsoft was behind the 9-11 attacks. Look out for Photoshopped photos of Osama bin Laden swinging a chair.

Re:So?

[Capt James McCarthy]

"It would be a shame if you were just talking out of you ass..."

But that is a requirement for members of Congress.

Re:So?

[Captain Splendid]

Is that not a serious problem with our system?

That's commie talk, son.