Stop Campaign Site Plagiarism

The statement: "Campaigns should not arrogate others' work without at least giving credit."

If you agree with the statement please consider 'signing' this petition.

Background

Personal tale, July: In July I looked for a "Dump Gonzales" petition to sign. Not finding one I created http://www.petitiononline.com/dumpgonz/petition.html. A week later John Edwards campaign site created a petition to dump Gonzales. Not a big deal in spite of the sleazy rep some Dean techys had in Burlington.
in 2004.

November: After learning that we are in the centennial year of Congress being ineffective for campaign finance reform I looked for a petition to sign. Not finding one (I did subsequently) I put one up. Within a week the John Edwards created a site with a petition to have better campaign finance reform.

Another coincidence? The likelihood is diminishing.

Is there an Offense?

Jefferson famously defined slavery, among other ways, as the taking of one's work "without consent, contract or compensation." In the internet era one might add "credit" as one sometimes lives by, and makes a living by, the credits for work, ideas, and innovation.

When work, ideas or innovation are taken without consent, contract, credit or compensation, when an organization's people get ahead by plagiarizing, almost all are injured for the benefit of the thief and an organization that condones this, or does not actively prevent advancement by theft, may at best be be described as sleazy.

Interpretation -- Back to the John Edwards Campaign

Did someone at the John Edwards Campaign or their web site staff take from me personally? Unlikely. IP logs might show differently.

Is some troll in their organization scanning for peoples' online petitions that are good for America and that will make John Edwards look good to the target voters and stealing the ideas? Highly likely.

Are petitions that they launch that have predecessors on the web accompanied with thanks or credit given? Not at all.

Is such behavior in line with the John Edwards public moral stance or their public guidelines at http://blog.johnedwards.com/guidelines ? Not at all, e.g. "Treat others as you would be treated..." and "Do not plagiarize...".

Is this good for the John Edwards' campaign? Only if the dirty little secret remains hidden.

Can you trust his webbies not to steal, particularly considering dubious actions of some in the Dean campaign in '04? Not at all.

Is the person at the top of the organization where "the buck stops"? That is a very interesting question for a Presidential candidate.

If this issue becomes a mini-scandal, will John Edwards accept responsibility or scapegoat inferior people such as Trippi? Another interesting question for a Presidential candidate.

Sign

The statement: "Campaigns should not arrogate others' work without at least giving credit."

If you agree with the statement please 'sign' this petition. Thank you.