People don’t normally campaign publicly for a presidential appointment, because it’s a pretty good way to guarantee that you won’t get the job. The more tasteful and effective way to lobby for a position with the Obama Administration – something an enormous number of people have been doing for the past few months – is to push like heck behind the scenes. But Carl Malamud isn’t just any ordinary person. 

Carl, our former colleague at the Center for American Progress, practically invented the Internet, or at least Internet radio. His relentless crusade for government openness and for citizen access to government information – from the SEC, the federal courts, the Smithsonian, etc. -- has made him a hero to many and a thorn in the side of the lazy, selfish, corrupt, and greedy.  This recent New York Times story and Carl's website will tell you more about him.

Anyway, what job does Carl want?  Public Printer of the United States, the head of the Government Printing Office. From that position, Carl wants to reboot government and accountability – getting more information to people so we can have full debates and make the right decisions. I have endorsed the campaign (and refuse to call it “quixotic”). In fact, I am apparently an honorary co-chair, alongside my awesome law school classmate Larry Lessig. Please check it out and join the campaign, “Yes We Scan.”

~David Halperin