Yes We Scan! Carl Malamud for Public Printer of the USA

Rogue archivist Carl Malamud sez,

This is a bit unconventional, but I have launched a front-port campaign to be nominated Public Printer of the United States. I'm inspired by Gus Geigengack, a working printer who convinced FDR to name him to the post.
I am thrilled to have such a distinguished committee backing my efforts, including the Honorable Cory Doctorow and the Honorable Mark Frauenfelder from Boing Boing.
To endorse my nomination, simply comment on any blog post (like this one!), tweet me, or send me email. The endorsements will be harvested, set into a book, and released as a free PDF file with paper copies dispatched to the White House Office of Personnel.
Thank you for your support.

Yes We Scan

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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Anonymous

I believe unanimity should never go unopposed, and hence I reject Carl Malamud and everything he stands for.

–Charlie

PS: I reserve the right to instantly change my mind if anyone else votes against him.
–C
Robbo

There is no one more suited for nor more dedicated to the role of Public Printer of the United States of America than Mister Carl Malamud. Endorsed!
Takuan

quail, brief mortal! The Old Ones take little notice of your puny politics and petty tribal squabbles. Malamud has made the Sacrifice and will be Rewarded in the End Time.
gep2

As a Dallas County (Texas) Democratic Precinct Chair (precinct 1501), and political activist, I’d be delighted to have Carl Malamud as Public Printer of the USA. In a country where “we, the people” have formed our Government, we could do no better than to have a man so committed to transparency and public accessibility of information as the head of the Government Printing Office!

I’m particularly encouraged by the fact that Carl would be inclined to make as much information as possible widely, freely, and accessibly available to the general public.

This would definitely help contribute to Change We Can Believe In!!!!

Gordon Peterson
consultant, programmer, precinct chair, activist, LAN guru
http://personal.terabites.com
Takuan

(uh, Carl? that last one was a leetle gamey if you get my drift, someone closer to this millennium if you get my drift?)
TroofSeeker

Methinks Carl has been researching the Mary Jane issue elsewhere in BoingTown.
joel hanes

I cast my vote for Carl Malamud to be the Public Printer of the United States. I am a citizen and voter registered in Santa Clara County, CA.
Tab Johnson

I laughed so hard!

I read the piece about Carl on Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carl-malamud/yes-we-scan-why-i-want-to_b_170386.html.

Carl, love your work over the years.

But you gotta be smoking something to think GPO’s Public Printer has any clout in DC!

Agencies don’t even give their print files to GPO for printing…even though that’s the law.

But there’s no law that they have to give GPO their data, files, websites, etc. And they don’t.

GPO’s tried to do several of the items you mention, but gotten no where. Not necessarily GPO’s fault…DC’s agencies just don’t play fair in the sandbox.

And they certainly don’t share their toys…er, data.
Robert Palmer II

Carl Malamud’s efforts to provide open access to Court records and other governmental public information make him an excellent candidate for United States Printer. I am pleased to join Jim Warren, another pioneer advocate for the people’s access to government records, in supporting Carl to be the next Public Printer of the United States and head of the Government Printing Office.
Takuan

maybe that could Change.
Anonymous

Hi Carl, I’d like to endorse your nomination :)
Anonymous

I also support Carl.
farber

Best idea I have heard in many a moon. I fully endorse Carl

David Farber
Carnegie Mellon
Blank Look

Takuan @37: Maybe it could change, if Congress wanted it to. Malamud could have much more impact on the issues he lists as a member of Congress than as Public Printer. GPO is already working on his list as far as allowed. (For example, see FDSys.)

Free paper publications? Congress needs to amend Title 44 of the US Code to change GPO’s funding basis and the requirement to charge for publications. Major changes to the Federal Depository Library Program? Congress needs to amend Title 44 or otherwise give permission for many possible changes beyond those GPO is already pursuing. Then the libraries need to figure out how to pay for their side of any changes. Get rid of passport RFID? The State Department needs to change their specification (which might also require the ICAO to change some of the passport standard. I’d have to look that up). GPO adding court documents to Access and FDSys? Well, get the Judiciary to send them and see how long it takes us to get them up. Fugitive documents (which agencies distribute in a way that keeps them out of the FDLP and FDSys)? Congress needs to put some enforcement teeth in the law and then the Executive branch needs to obey it. And so on.

I personally get so blasted tired of having experts from outside the government tell everyone how clueless GPO and its employees are. We are already doing so much of what people think we should be doing and we have already tried to push other organizations in the right direction for a lot of the rest. Do you expect us to take up arms against Congress, the Exective branch, and the Judiciary branch? Or what?

I wish I could put my meatspace name on this, but we aren’t supposed to talk to the press in general and besides, what if Mr Malamud ends up being my boss after all?

Now I have to get back to my work hiding information and wasting taxpayer money.
Anonymous

I endorse Carl Malamud for the position of Public Printer
jwarren

After eight years of secrecy and “disinformation”, it is crucial – for a CHANGE! – that the nation have a Public Printer, responsible for a huge array of OUR public records, whom we can trust to honor the letter and spirit of open government and modern, timely, at-cost public access to public records.

Carl Malamud is such a person.

–jim
Jim Warren; tech-civlib policy advocate & sometime writer
regional Soc of Prof Journalists James Madison Freedom-of-Information Award;
Electronic Frontier Foundation Pioneer Award (its first year);
Playboy Foundation Hugh Hefner First-Amendment Award;
Founder & Chair, First Conference on Computers, Freedom & Privacy;
etc.
barnaby

I heareby second Carl Malamud’s nomination. Good luck and godspeed, purveyor of transparency!
barnaby

I hereby second Carl Malamud’s nomination. Good luck and godspeed, purveyor of transparency!
lpress

Count me as an enthusiastic supporter!

Larry Press
Shu

Carl Malamud for Public Printer!
ridl

Call for acclimation.
wierdbeard

Carl Malamud clearly believes in and cares about the social good of open information. As a college student studying journalism and and the Web, so do I. Carl gets my whole-hearted endorsement.
tensor

me too ! ;)
HeruRaHa

Sure, somebody should be doing it…

Carl, you’re all up to speed on your taxes, right? No illegal alien nannies? No pictures of you and Michael Phelps doing synchronized bong-rips? If so, you receive my support.

(The bong-rip thing wouldn’t disqualify you in my book, for the record. It’s a discretion-as-the-better-part-of-valour thing.)
Takuan

as duly appointed proxy and electoral representative for the Old Ones and Their Loathly, Unclean Spawn, I hereby cast nine trillion votes for Carl Malamud and may any who oppose him scream in undying agony for all time yet to come as their souls are riven with the Eleven Torments of the Ultimate Tap.
mdkail

I endorse Carl Malamud for the position of Public Printer of the United States and head of the GPO

/mdkail
hilbertastronaut

I’m a U.S. citizen, and I endorse Carl Malamud to be Public Printer of the United States.
elliot winner

Pass on my endorsement to Carl, Cory. There’s no better person for the job.
Rodney

Carl Malamud for Public Printer of the USA!!
BillGlover

I am a U.S. citizen, and I enthusiastically endorse Carl Malamud for the position of Public Printer of the United States and head of the GPO. He brings to the position the long term commitment and experience to help make the GPO a model of government transparency. If appointed, his proposals to finally realize the massive potential of not only traditional GPO print media, but also the .gov system of government websites will serve as an example of thrift, efficiency and impact for other government initiatives. These proposed improvements alone could be worth millions for taxpayers over the coming years. In addition to these savings, there is no doubt that information is one of the most precious assets of our republic and the driver of our economy. We must be sure that the United States Government manages its most precious information with skill, imagination and responsibility. Please move swiftly to Make Carl Malamud Public Printer of the United States. He is the best person for the job.
Matt Katz

I endorse Carl Malamud with no reservation for the position of public printer of the GPO.

The man is a hero in the cause of governmental transparency.
nemryn

I hereby endorse Mr. Malamud.
Anonymous

I’m a U.S. citizen and I add my name to the list of people endorsing Carl Malamud to be Public Printer of the United States.
sumi

Scan do!
ellierosebrown

I’ve heard you’re a stickler for deadlines, and an all around hard worker. I endorse you for Public Printer of the United States and head of the GPO.
Best of luck to you.

Chantel
Anonymous

I endorse Carl Malamud for the office of Public Printer of the United States.
TroofSeeker

um… who else is after this post? Mind you, I got nothin’ agin’ Carl Malamud, he’s probably the perfect guy for the job, but I don’t take sides until I’ve seen all sides. I find Takkie’s “Sieg Heil!” a little alarming. Seems I’ve heard that before somewhere…
mrose

i am pleased to endorse my good friend, carl malamud, to be the Public Printer of the United States.

it would be an honor for him to serve.

/mtr