Barack Obama has been hailed as the “technology candidate” since he first started campaigning. At first, he was second only to Ron Paul in the use of technology and social media to reach the masses. Now he has far surpassed any efforts Ron Paul and his supporters had made. If he moves from “technology candidate” to “technology president”, what could that mean for us?

National CTO

One of Barack Obama’s stated ideas is the installation of a national CTO (Chief Technology Officer). Taken from his talking points white paper, the CTO will serve the following purpose: Obama will appoint the nation’s first Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to ensure that our government and all its agencies have the right infrastructure, policies and services for the 21st century. The CTO will ensure the safety of our networks and will lead an inter-agency effort, working with chief technology and chief information officers of each of the federal agencies, to ensure that they use best-in-class technologies and share best practices.

I am not entirely sure that a national CTO would be good for the people of America as far as possibly curbing the ways we use the Internet. To bring the internet into politics is to open it up for political maneuvering. There are many countries separated from each other online, cut off from each other, because their Web access is under political control and have been purposely shut off. I’d hate to see that happen to us. It may not under Obama, but what about the president who follows?

Diverse and Transparent

Obama also speaks of encouraging diversity using technology. Namely of using technology in education to make us more competitive in the global market. He has spoken about bridging the gaps of income and opportunity through technology as well, in the hope that all of us are given the same chance to learn and succeed using these readily available tools. One way to do this is to make broadband access and computer equipment more of a right than a privilege, so more of us have access to them.

He also outlines plans for a transparent government, in which technology is used as a way to see behind the closed doors of government and into the ways decisions get made. By using technology to create a more active citizenry, our government would automatically become more accountable for the actions they take an the decisions they make. This would also have a chance at decreasing favoritism, lobbying, and pork barrel spending.

Employment and Infrastructure

Obama envisions the creation of a nationwide communications infrastructure. This is one of many things he conceptualizes that would ultimately create jobs, both in the building of the infrastructure (helping the trades) and in the chances for entrepreneurship and innovation such connectivity would bring. Under an Obama presidency, technological and scientific innovation would be encouraged, which in turn could help the economy grow in innovative and new ways.

Science as Investment

With Obama’s focus on technology and vision of science as in investment in the future, research and development would see big boosts from an Obama presidency, including the extension of the current R&D tax beaks sciences currently enjoy. By encouraging innovation, research, forward thinking and scientific exploration there could also be intangible benefits like solutions to global problems coming out of America first (biofuels, alternative energy sources, more).

Health and Well Being

Obama’s talking points include the use of technology an science as a means to create a healthier, better educated population that lives longer, better, more productive lives. He would encourage the use of science and technology to keep us as a nation in good health, an innovative preventative and education-based approach. A healthy population has benefits to the economy and more, and would perhaps be one of the better innovations that could happen under an Obama presidency.

Demonstrating Knowledge

Throughout his campaign Obama has demonstrated a working, effective knowledge and understanding of technology and science. He uses the tools of technology whenever possible to reach out past the campaign bus, and embraces the challenges and opportunities technology brings. His support for technology issues like network neutrality and the people who use technology, his grasp of the ways technology can be used as a force for positive change, and his willingness to listen to the advice of experts in their fields would give America a much needed boost for technology and science in an Obama presidency.

You can read Obama’s full talking points on technology and science here.

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Entry was posted on Friday, October 31st, 2008 at 8:41 pm under Opinion, Science and technology, Social Media.

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