Tech President
The Obama campaign’s announcement of a comprehensive technology plan is worth noticing today. It’s refreshing to see a campaign focusing on the relationship between technology policy and economic/industrial policy:
Barack Obama will encourage the deployment of the most modern communications infrastructure. In turn, that infrastructure can be used by government and business to reduce the costs of health care, help solve our energy crisis, create new jobs, and fuel our economic growth.
When asked how Sen. Obama would implement this plan if he became President, given the power and persuasiveness of the incumbents’ lobbyists, campaign representatives responded, in effect: “This could be handled by regulatory action - watch who he appoints to the FCC!”
I’m optimistic, and it is uplifting to see the plan’s careful treatment of key issues. No fees to be charged by network providers to privilege some applications over others. Empower parents to protect children from content the parent doesn’t want the child to see. And, most importantly, maximize the power of technology to help the country as a whole.
It’s just a campaign document, we’re reminded. No implementation plans here, no transition plan, just an outline. But I’m cheering all the same.