06.06.10
ElectionMall Targets Politicians, Microsoft at Bilderberg 2010, and TechAmerica Lobbying
Summary: Microsoft and ElectionMall capture politics using a software platform; Microsoft’s Craig Mundie is again at the Bilderberg meeting; Examples of lobbying by proxy
Microsoft targets politicians these days [1, 2]. It cannot make products that are competitive, so instead it makes products that grease up decision makers. TownHall is just one example as another scheme for entrapping politicians is being introduced this month. Its partner is called ElectionMall and it receives coverage from 1105 Media, which is tainted by Microsoft influence yet pretends to be a government site (it’s a private entity).
Microsoft announced it is partnering with ElectionMall.com to introduce a cloud-based array of services intended for political and issue-advocacy campaigns.
This was also covered by CNN and there is a press release. Microsoft is using R&D Magazine to advertise itself, as usual. Here is Pamela Passman, the Microsoft Corporate Vice President of Global Corporate Affairs (lobbying), promoting the above scheme.
Meanwhile, it ought to be added that, according to one of our readers from Brazil, Craig Mundie is again attending Bilderberg for Microsoft. We mentioned this attendance of his in [1, 2, 3] and 2010 continues this tradition of Microsoft influence among those big names. Members of the Gates family sometimes attend as well.
Last but not least, here is a new piece of evidence of lobbying by proxy, which is how Microsoft and many other companies get away with reporting grossly underestimated spendings on lobbying:
TechAmerica spent $337,000 on lobbying in 1Q
TechAmerica, as the group calls itself, has nearly 1,500 technology company members including Microsoft Corp., Intel Corp., Apple Inc., Google Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co.
Lobbying in a democratic society is a sign of illness, it’s not a feature. █
