I have no connection to Votizen, or the Startup Visa act, other than being incredibly frustrated as the founder of Hackers & Founders at how many amazing entrepreneurs have to leave the country, or can't start businesses in the US because of visa issues.<p>So, I'm throwing as much of my weight behind this as I can.<p>Votized has come up with an amazing system of verifying if you're a registered voter by text messages. If you are, your text will get hand delivered to your senators and representative in congress.<p>It's amazing. I think incredibly effective, and finally a way to for geeks who care about political issues to do something about it instead of just complaining on forums.<p>So, support entrepreneurship. Support your future cofounders. Text "Startup Visa" to 894546 to support the Startup Visa act.<p>I think this issue is a no brainer.
Voted.<p>This is a completely separate issue from discussions about illegal immigration or border security.<p>Hopefully our elected officials are able to look past the "immigration" stigma and vote based on the bill's contents.<p>And hopefully nobody gets up there and starts shouting "They took our jobs!!" </south_park_redneck>
More information I was able to find.<p><a href="http://www.quora.com/Jason-Putorti/How-You-Can-Support-Startup-Visa" rel="nofollow">http://www.quora.com/Jason-Putorti/How-You-Can-Support-Start...</a><p><a href="https://www.votizen.com/issues/startupvisa/" rel="nofollow">https://www.votizen.com/issues/startupvisa/</a><p>Sounds like a good way to do this.
You can't even imagine how badly it will be exploited by immigration lawyers, while it may sound good in a morning chat with other latte-sipping liberals.
UK beats the US to a tech-friendly Startup Visa<p><a href="http://eu.techcrunch.com/2011/03/17/uk-beats-the-us-to-a-tech-friendly-startup-visa/" rel="nofollow">http://eu.techcrunch.com/2011/03/17/uk-beats-the-us-to-a-tec...</a><p>HN Thread: <a href="http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2335645" rel="nofollow">http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2335645</a>
Actually both sides support this issue (don't know about this exact bill though), but from what I've heard supporters for full amnesty are holding it up the issue in hopes of a comprehensive bill and those completely against any type of immigration are obviously against it. A bill of this type is likely to pass, it's just a matter of when.
Error immediately after sending txt; methinks it's possibly from not paying the bills owed to Twilio?<p><pre><code> Free Msg: Receiver 894546 unable to receive message - Message Blocking is active
</code></pre>
Sent from T-mobile if that matters
What if you're not a registered voter but US citizen wishing to support this issue by bringing in front of your congressmen through this timely and relatively easy form if slacktivism?