Florida's State Senate District 14 includes Gainesville. Let's look at who's giving money to the primary candidates for the seat...
Beer Distributors. Check.
Citrus Packers. Check.
Microsoft. Huh?
In yet another example of how the times are changing in tech political giving, Microsoft has given to candidates on both sides of the primary and has already contributed nearly $10,000 to Florida legislative candidates. Microsoft's federal PAC gave barely over $200,000 in 1998.
We're sure the hot race in Alachua County is topic du jour over lattes in Redmond these days.
But, seriously, we respect the right of Microsoft to get involved in the political process -- be it local or presidential politics. It's a good thing that up-and-coming politicians learn about the value of technology and the policies that best tap its potential. We do wonder if the push to engage at the state level has anything to do with Microsoft's battles in Massachusetts over the state's decision to move from proprietary formats to ones supporting open standards.
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