Hi, I'm Larry Strickling and I work on policy here at the Barack Obama campaign. I was one of the folks who helped put together the Senator's Innovation and Technology Plan that he released last week in connection with his visit to Google. The plan has received the support of many leaders in the tech community, including the two chairmen of the Federal Communications Commission during the Clinton Administration, Reed Hundt and Bill Kennard. Following the release of the plan, over 40 tech leaders announced their endorsement of Senator Obama for president.
Now, we'd like to hear what you think about the plan. What do you like the most? Where is it strongest? Where would you suggest changes and additions to the plan? We view the plan as a starting point for this discussion. Just as Senator Obama wants to open up government to give folks more of a role in the deliberations and decision-making of Washington, we'd like to use our plan as a "test drive" of the same principles. Over the next few weeks, we'll have members of our technology/media/telecom policy committee joining the discussion to respond to your comments and questions, but don't wait. Tell us now what you think.
TechPresident has a round-up of some of the overwhelmingly positive reactions to Senator Obama's innovation plan.
Obama's plan, Josh Levy writes:
is winning rave reviews from across the web. Among other things, Obama strongly supports net neutrality, is calling for technological approaches to governmental transparency, and wants to use technology to get citizens involved in the governing process. But that’s just the tip of the ol’ iceberg; you should read the whole thing to get a better sense.
Yesterday at Google's HQ, Barack was interviewed by YouTube's Steve Grove. Watch the video:
Visit Youtube.com/BarackObama to see the latest Barack Obama YouTube videos.
At a town hall meeting today at Google headquarters, U.S. Senator Barack Obama rolled out an innovation agenda that will connect and empower Americans through technology. Click here for a full rundown of Barack's bold and important plan.
“Together, we could open up government and invite citizens in, while connecting all of America to 21st century broadband. We could use technology to help achieve universal health care, to reach for a clean energy future, and to ensure that young Americans can compete – and win – in the global economy," said Barack. "If America recommits itself to science and innovation, we can lead the world to a new future of productivity and prosperity. That’s what we can do if we seize this moment."
Barack explained that we have to use technology to open up our democracy. "It’s no coincidence that one of the most secretive Administrations in history has favored special interests and pursued policies that could not stand up to sunlight," he said. "As President, I’ll change that. I’ll put government data online in universally accessible formats. I’ll let citizens track federal grants, contracts, earmarks, and lobbyist contacts. I’ll let you participate in government forums, ask questions in real time, offer suggestions that will be reviewed before decisions are made, and let you comment on legislation before it is signed. And to ensure that every government agency is meeting 21st century standards, I’ll appoint the nation’s first Chief Technology Officer.”
Here's what some of the experts had to say about the plan:
Reed Hundt, Former Chairman, Federal Communications Commission (1993-1997):
Barack Obama's innovation and technology agenda will end the current oil-and-gas Administration's lack of leadership on the issues shaping our future. This is a 21st century agenda, one that was developed for the American people, not the powerful, entrenched interests in Washington, DC. Barack Obama is the one candidate for president who can create the change necessary for America to enjoy real prosperity in a global economy. An Obama administration will drive investment in our communications infrastructure, our human capital and ensure we have a competitive marketplace that benefits all Americans.
William E. Kennard, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission (1997-2001):
Barack Obama's technology plan is unique because it focuses first and foremost on empowering people to connect with each other and with government to solve problems. The plan recognizes that technology is not an end in itself, but a means to improve education and health care, create jobs and make America safer. No other candidate so fully embraces technology as a way to strengthen our democracy and improve people's lives. The plan is truly innovative.
Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO, Google, Inc:
Senator Obama's plan would help make sure that the Internet remains a free and open platform, and that America maintains an atmosphere of high-tech growth and innovation. We particularly share his aims of getting more Americans online, using the Internet to increase government transparency, and applying high-tech know how to thorny problems like education and health care. As the 2008 campaign unfolds, we hope that more candidates on both sides of the aisle will present their concrete ideas for maintaining America's competitive edge.
Barack's plan has also recieved rave reviews from Lawrence Lessig and bloggers including Matt Stoller and Markos Moulitsas.
“We need to make sure that the next success story – the next Google – happens here in America," concluded Barack. "The Google story is about what can be achieved when we cultivate new ideas and keep the playing field level for new businesses. But it’s also about not settling for what we’ve achieved. It’s about constantly raising the bar so that we’re more competitive, and so we use technology to reach ever-expanding horizons…The promise and prosperity of our new economy must not become the property of the few, it must be a force that lifts up our entire country, and that lifts up the world.”
As Barack outlines his vision for technology and innovation today, we thought the issues and ideas would be a natural candidate for launching a MyPolicy discussion. So far thousands of people have people have shared stories and ideas that have been incorporated into this and other policy initiatives from the campaign.
In this space, we hope to foster some more detailed discussion of the plan and the opportunities the next president will have to streamline government and open up governance like never before. You'll hear from staff, outside experts, and folks like you.
So please react to the plan in the comments, and watch this space for questions, commentary and new ideas on these exciting issues.
At a town hall meeting today at Google headquarters, U.S. Senator Barack Obama will unveil an innovation agenda that will connect and empower Americans through technology. The comprehensive plan will ensure the full and free exchange of information by protecting the openness of the internet and encouraging diversity in media ownership, create a transparent and connected democracy by opening up government to its citizens, modernize our communications infrastructure, employ technology and information to take on the challenges facing America, and improve our nation’s competitiveness.
Click here for the full details of the plan.
News of Barack's plan is already making major waves.
Lawrence Lessig writes:
First, and again, I know him, which means I know something of his character. "He is the real deal" has become my favorite new phrase. Everything about him, personally, is what you would dream a candidate should be. Integrity, brilliance, warmth, humor and most importantly, commitment. They all say they're all this. But for me, this part is easy, because about this one at least, I know.Second, I believe in the policies. Clearly on the big issues -- the war and corruption. Obama has made his career fighting both. But also on the issues closest to me. As the technology document released today reveals, to anyone who reads it closely, Obama has committed himself to important and importantly balanced positions.First the importantly balanced: You'll read he's a supporter of Net Neutrality. No surprise there. But read carefully what Net Neutrality for Obama is. There's no blanket ban on offering better service; the ban is on contracts that offer different terms to different providers for that better service. And there's no promise to police what's under the technical hood (beyond the commitment already articulated by Chairman Powell): This is a sensible and valuable Net Neutrality policy that shows a team keen to get it right -- which includes making it enforceable in an efficient way, even if not as radical as some possible friends would like.Second, on the important: As you'll read, Obama has committed himself to a technology policy for government that could radically change how government works. The small part of that is simple efficiency -- the appointment with broad power of a CTO for the government, making the insanely backwards technology systems of government actually work. But the big part of this is a commitment to making data about the government (as well as government data) publicly available in standard machine readable formats. The promise isn't just the naive promise that government websites will work better and reveal more. It is the really powerful promise to feed the data necessary for the Sunlights and the Maplights of the world to make government work better...
First, and again, I know him, which means I know something of his character. "He is the real deal" has become my favorite new phrase. Everything about him, personally, is what you would dream a candidate should be. Integrity, brilliance, warmth, humor and most importantly, commitment. They all say they're all this. But for me, this part is easy, because about this one at least, I know.
Second, I believe in the policies. Clearly on the big issues -- the war and corruption. Obama has made his career fighting both. But also on the issues closest to me. As the technology document released today reveals, to anyone who reads it closely, Obama has committed himself to important and importantly balanced positions.
First the importantly balanced: You'll read he's a supporter of Net Neutrality. No surprise there. But read carefully what Net Neutrality for Obama is. There's no blanket ban on offering better service; the ban is on contracts that offer different terms to different providers for that better service. And there's no promise to police what's under the technical hood (beyond the commitment already articulated by Chairman Powell): This is a sensible and valuable Net Neutrality policy that shows a team keen to get it right -- which includes making it enforceable in an efficient way, even if not as radical as some possible friends would like.
Second, on the important: As you'll read, Obama has committed himself to a technology policy for government that could radically change how government works. The small part of that is simple efficiency -- the appointment with broad power of a CTO for the government, making the insanely backwards technology systems of government actually work.
But the big part of this is a commitment to making data about the government (as well as government data) publicly available in standard machine readable formats. The promise isn't just the naive promise that government websites will work better and reveal more. It is the really powerful promise to feed the data necessary for the Sunlights and the Maplights of the world to make government work better...
Here's Matt Stoller of Open Left:
Today, Obama is throwing down the gauntlet on a internet freedom, telecom lobbyists, and on opening up government in general to the public. It's some genuinely radical stuff, and it includes the use of blogs, wikis, and openness in government hearings. Significantly, Larry Lessig has endorsed Obama's platform... In the face of this set of challenges, Obama has thrown down a big gauntlet, policy-wise. He is pushing to break up the wireless gatekeepers, net neutrality will be a strong priority in his administration, and open government will allow citizens to generate new sources of political power... I am now leaning towards Obama in my choice for President...
Today, Obama is throwing down the gauntlet on a internet freedom, telecom lobbyists, and on opening up government in general to the public. It's some genuinely radical stuff, and it includes the use of blogs, wikis, and openness in government hearings. Significantly, Larry Lessig has endorsed Obama's platform...
In the face of this set of challenges, Obama has thrown down a big gauntlet, policy-wise. He is pushing to break up the wireless gatekeepers, net neutrality will be a strong priority in his administration, and open government will allow citizens to generate new sources of political power...
I am now leaning towards Obama in my choice for President...
Markos Moulitsas of Daily Kos:
The geek in me loves this Obama proposal.
We'll have more on Obama's bold proposal soon...
