[Random-bits] CAGW also attacks procurement proposal

[James Love]

Microsoft seems to have done a nice job of rallying the troops on this
issue.  Here is the "Citizens Against Government Waste" press release
attacking the procurement proposal.  Jamie

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-06
-2002/0001742485&EDATE=

      Nader's 'Waste Reduction' Costly to Taxpayers, Says CAGW; 'Consumer
Advocate' Calls for Regulation Through Government Purchasing


    WASHINGTON, June 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Citizens Against Government Waste
(CAGW) today criticized Ralph Nader for his letter to the Office of
Management
and Budget (OMB) urging the government to regulate the Microsoft Corporation
through its purchasing power.  The letter, dated June 4, 2002, asked OMB to
release the amount of money that the government has spent over the last
seven
years on Microsoft products, and suggested new regulations for purchasing
software regardless of taxpayer benefits.
    "Ralph Nader is searching for new ways to expand government power and
regulate Microsoft now that the federal courts have failed to meet his
standards," CAGW President Tom Schatz said.  "Using the federal government's
purchasing power to artificially alter the software market for political
purposes would set an ominous precedent for other industries."
    Nader's letter calls for limiting the number of purchases from any one
software provider, while office tools, such as word processing programs,
should be required to work with other operating systems to increase
competition.  The letter also suggests that the government consider buying
the
source code of "dominant software providers," and making it public for
further
compatibility -- in other words, nationalizing private intellectual
property.
    "Mr. Nader obviously did not have the taxpayer -- or incentives to
improve
software technology -- in mind when making these suggestions," continued
Schatz.  "Regardless of the software provider, or even the industry, the
government should choose its purchases based on the best quality for the
lowest cost.  When purchasing software, the government should examine which
products are the most compatible, efficient, technologically advanced, and
cost-effective on the market.  Purchasing source codes would provide no
inducement for software makers to become competitive and would hinder the
development of new products."
    In his conclusion, Nader accuses "one company" of engaging in
anticompetitive practices by raising prices and making its products
incompatible with competitors' products.  He then requests a meeting with
OMB
staff to discuss policies to "reduce waste and promote competition."
    "If Mr. Nader really wants to reduce waste, he would call for an
overhaul
of the government's computer systems.  Incompatibility and lack of
communication among agencies helped lead to the intelligence failures prior
to
September 11.  To promote competition, he would encourage software providers
to improve their products and offer them at a reasonable price to the
government.  His suggestions would only increase waste by forcing the
government to purchase costly software that is less effective," concluded
Schatz.  "Luckily, OMB Director Mitch Daniels will see right through Nader's
plan, and continue his quest to eliminate the government's real problems."

    Citizens Against Government Waste is the nation's largest nonpartisan,
nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and
mismanagement in government.

 Click here

SOURCE Citizens Against Government Waste
      Web Site: http://www.cagw.org