PFF is not a political organization. In fact, it is a refuge from mindless regurgitations about Iowa and New Hampshire. But politics has intruded into our Eden, in that we have found Howard Dean's Principles for an Internet Policy.

Most of it is the soporific politico-speak one expects every four years, but one feature is striking. The Internet is portrayed as a sort of manna from heaven, not as a product of the intelligence, money, and entrepreneurial nerve of thousands of people and corporate entities. Thus the statement is long on distributing the fruits of the Internet and short on encouraging its continued development, long on "we all did this" and short on "no, some of us did it and the rest are free riding." Like, what about deregulation of telecom? Or protection of intellectual property? Adam Thierer of Cato characterizes the position as: "Collectivism In, Property Rights Out."

To be even-handed, the Administration has been quiet about these issues, too, especially about deregulation, and it doesn't even have the excuse of being out of power. If the attitude of all parts of the political class toward the Internet is "the Lord will provide and we will distribute," it will not be a happy 2004 for techies.