Barack Obama's technology plans are something every geek and nerd should revel in. It is probably one of the most comprehensive technology plans out of any candidate and is one of the strongest differences between him and the other candidates.
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One of the biggest issues currently is how far should government go as far as censorship online. Government agencies loom over the future of free internet communication. Obama is in favor of net neutrality. As far as censorship Obama says,
Obama values our First Amendment freedoms and our right to artistic expression and does not view regulation as the answer to these concerns. Instead, an Obama administration will give parents the tools and information they need to control what their children see on television and ,the Internet in ways fully consistent with the First Amendment.
So instead of being an overbearing nanny he will opt instead to give parents tools to regulate their own homes. This is a nice compromise and one that ensures the internet will stay as free as possible.
This, however, is the tip of the iceberg. What lies below are even more comprehensive plans regarding opening up the government to citizens, directly. If Obama is elected and he goes through will all of this we will see an unprecedented bar set for government openness.
Want to know what an agency is spending on? Know if the area you want to move to has pollution problems. Barack wants all this information online:
Making government data available online in universally accessible formats to allow citizens to make use of that data to comment, derive value, and take action in their own communities. Greater access to environmental data, for example, will help citizens learn about pollution in their communities, provide information about local conditions back to government and empower people to protect themselves.
Ever want to interact with the government? Give opinions and get active in policies being implemented? He has that covered too:
Establishing pilot programs to open up government decision-making and involve the public in the work of agencies, not simply by soliciting opinions, but by tapping into the vast and distributed expertise of the American citizenry to help government make more informed decisions.
Requiring his appointees who lead Executive Branch departments and rulemaking agencies to conduct the significant business of the agency in public, so that any citizen can watch a live feed on the Internet as the agencies debate and deliberate the issues that affect American society. He will ensure that these proceedings are archived for all Americans to review, discuss and respond. He will require his appointees to employ all the technological tools available to allow citizens not just to observe, but also to participate and be heard in these meetings.
Bringing democracy and policy deliberations directly to the people by requiring his Cabinet officials to have periodic national online town hall meetings to answer questions and discuss issues before their agencies.
In addition to all of this, he also plans to do this:
Giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House web site for five days before signing any non-emergency legislation.
Imagine, the public actually giving their opinion and acting as advisors to the President directly? It may seem to good to be true, and perhaps it is. If Obama goes through with this it will revolutionize how government is run.
Part of his vision that appealed to me was the fact he wanted to bring people together. He sees the future in the internet and the fact of our world is that the internet is becoming more of a utility than a luxury. He sees this and wants to use it to the government's and people's advantage.
Imagine logging onto the White House web site, reading the President's blog, logging in to comment on a bill that is being passed, and later joining in on a virtual town hall meeting with hundreds of other citizens.
Ever feel that the net roots is disconnected and separate from the decision making process despite showing its vast and important influence? This would revolutionize the efforts of all netizens.
This is, in short, empowerment of people, something that a lot of citizens saw in Obama. This really strikes me as being genuinely concerned. He took the time to learn these issues and judging from some diaries he can answer questions regarding technology.
It is strange to say this, but we may have our first real geek President. It is a wonderful time to be involved in politics.
His technology plans are chock full of other good stuff such as a Chief Technology Officer, connecting schools, hospitals, schools, and rural areas to broadband, reorganizing and opening up some of the wireless spectrum for public use, creating Public Media 2.0, and a myriad of other technology advances in terms of government.
All we have to do is elect Barack Obama and pester him to do the things he promises.
Yes we can.