Former BSA VP Confirmed as Tech Undersecretary

RedOregon writes "The Senate has confirmed Robert Cresanti as the Commerce Department's new undersecretary for technology. Who's that, you ask? He was the former vice president of public policy at the Business Software Alliance. Does this give anyone else the Heebie Jeebies??"

Oh no

[Kijori]

Now the government might start using bad data to justify ridiculous copyright laws and restriction of users' rights! But wait, surely no-one would let them get away with that?

Re:If that position meant anything, maybe

[PCM2]

Really. A paper-pusher from the public policy department of what is in essence a law firm, getting hired to a government job? Now I've seen everything.

I'm shocked!

[Anonymous Coward]

I would have thought they would have went with some script kiddie or long-haired open source zealot, but instead they went with an industry man. Still scratching my head over this one.

Long live BSA

[jamesl]

Here's a guy who ran a market-leading motorcycle company into the ground in the days of carburettors, coil ignition and chain drive. Now he's in charge of technology for the good old US of A.

I loved those BSA motorcycles.

Heebie-Jeebies? Hardly

[Anonymous Coward]

If this administration was to make an appointment that didn't favor business interests over the needs of the populace, THEN I'd be worried. I'd be expecting a time-space continuum breach or the earth spinning off its axis or something.

Jeez, don't scare me like that!

[Creosote]

I first interpreted "BSA" in your title as Boy Scouts of America... ... and given the nature of Bush Administration appointments, it would have been about as likely.

You were expecting?

[mschuyler]

What? You were expecting Cowboy Neal to be appointed?

Re:Sheesh, what a day

[digitaldc]

I need half a bottle of Valium just to read /. anymore.

Sorry, your Scientologist pharmacist won't be providing that to you any more because he has found it is against his religion. You'll just have to fly to Canada to read /.

So what?

[mgessner]

So what? Who cares? Why is the BSA such a bad thing, unless you're into stealing software?

Re:What if it were all the undersecretaries?

[Chris Burke]

That is fine and dandy, but one has to wonder if this goes on all the time.

You have to wonder if cronyism and giving government positions to connected corporate interests occurs all the time?

Let me help you out: Yes, it goes on all the time.

In this sense, the OP was right that a mere undersecretary position isn't anything special.

Bush's Record

[roni29]

With Bush's record of 'qualified employees', we can hope that he at least attended 1 year of community college.

Re:What if it were all the undersecretaries?

[Foobar of Borg]

Boil a frog, anyone?

Um, no thanks. At least, not without a good dash of cajun spices, or perhaps some good curry or chinese chilis. Otherwise, the boiled frog won't sit in your stomach and digest very well.

Actually, it kind of makes sense...

[djSpinMonkey]

You know, sort of like hiring an ex-hacker to a computer security team.

*snort* :-\

Oh, man, I'm sorry, I just couldn't keep a straight face through that one.