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| Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg pokes his way into politics | Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg pokes his way into politics |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Age: 28. | Age: 28. |
| Appearance: Likely programmer. Unlikely billionaire. | Appearance: Likely programmer. Unlikely billionaire. |
| This is the Facebook guy, right? That's him. Mark "Zuck" Zuckerberg, chairman and CEO of Facebook, Inc, and the first person to make several billion dollars from a website with a "poke" function. | This is the Facebook guy, right? That's him. Mark "Zuck" Zuckerberg, chairman and CEO of Facebook, Inc, and the first person to make several billion dollars from a website with a "poke" function. |
| What's he doing now? Poking his way into politics. Zuck has got together with a group of other top Silicon Valley executives to create an issues-based political action committee focusing – for the moment, at least – on liberalising the US visa and immigration systems. | What's he doing now? Poking his way into politics. Zuck has got together with a group of other top Silicon Valley executives to create an issues-based political action committee focusing – for the moment, at least – on liberalising the US visa and immigration systems. |
| And why do they want to reform immigration? They're a group of top executives. | And why do they want to reform immigration? They're a group of top executives. |
| Ah. Because it's costing them money? Pretty much. Earlier this month, Zuck and a gang of 99 other chief execs, including Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, co-wrote a letter to President Obama calling the current immigration system "outdated and inefficient". They said highly skilled immigrant workers were often unable to obtain permanent visas and forced to leave the country – and others were so put off by the system they wouldn't even bother coming to the US in the first place. | Ah. Because it's costing them money? Pretty much. Earlier this month, Zuck and a gang of 99 other chief execs, including Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, co-wrote a letter to President Obama calling the current immigration system "outdated and inefficient". They said highly skilled immigrant workers were often unable to obtain permanent visas and forced to leave the country – and others were so put off by the system they wouldn't even bother coming to the US in the first place. |
| And did Obama listen? He did. He has also consistently said the same thing. In fact, there are two bills in the Senate already aimed at addressing precisely those problems. But Zucky B – as he's known to no one – felt a committee was in order anyway. | And did Obama listen? He did. He has also consistently said the same thing. In fact, there are two bills in the Senate already aimed at addressing precisely those problems. But Zucky B – as he's known to no one – felt a committee was in order anyway. |
| So who has he got on this committee? A bipartisan team of political consultants, with – shock horror – at least two Republican strategists on it. | So who has he got on this committee? A bipartisan team of political consultants, with – shock horror – at least two Republican strategists on it. |
| You don't mean …? Perhaps. | You don't mean …? Perhaps. |
| Mark Zuckerberg isn't …? He might be. He also held a fundraiser at his home in Palo Alto earlier this year for Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey. | Mark Zuckerberg isn't …? He might be. He also held a fundraiser at his home in Palo Alto earlier this year for Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey. |
| Who is …? Yup. A Republican. And one with an eye on running for the White House. | |
| Shocking. I know, right? Who would have thought a billionaire with a controversial approach to privacy would have rightwing sympathies? | Shocking. I know, right? Who would have thought a billionaire with a controversial approach to privacy would have rightwing sympathies? |
| Do say: "I liked him better when he just ran that poking service." | Do say: "I liked him better when he just ran that poking service." |
| Don't say: "I would 'unlike' him but I never 'liked' him anyway." | Don't say: "I would 'unlike' him but I never 'liked' him anyway." |