[biff]

I like the concept. That we both feel the need to put quotes around "union" suggests the term might be too loaded to use for programmers, but fixing that's as simple as hanging a label on it like "Independent Programmers For Innovation".

Of course, you give it a title like that, you almost have to turn it into a PAC at some point...

[adventured]

I kind of hate to admit that the notion of forming a programmers PAC instantly appealed to me. Like most everybody, I dislike the way the political machine functions in D.C. these days, but fighting fire with fire - having a big influential lobby - appears to be the only thing that delivers results (particularly when you get huge companies with big lobbying efforts like Microsoft and IBM lined up in favor of protecting software patents; it's necessary to at least counter-weight them, and that takes a lot).

Long term one can aim for fundamental reform of our political system. Short term, a PAC might just be a big help. And on the upside, programmers have three great things going for them right now: high incomes and great jobs; well organized, with highly active communities online; countless of the most successful companies in America cease to exist tomorrow morning without them.

There are probably 10,000 programmers (less?), that if they chose to not show up to work over the next year, it would materially damage companies like Google / Facebook / Microsoft / Apple. The influence is plainly there to stop software patents, it simply needs to get organized.