OT: Obama and common PLUG issues

[Joshua Zeidner]

  just some relevant bites from Obama's web site that pertain to
issues commonly discussed here...

  http://www.barackobama.com/issues/technology/#open-internet



  NET NEUTRALITY:

   "A key reason the Internet has been such a success is because it is
the most open network in history. It needs to stay that way. Barack
Obama strongly supports the principle of network neutrality to
preserve the benefits of open competition on the Internet."

  MEDIA OWNERSHIP:

   "over the past several years, the Federal Communications Commission
has promoted the concept of consolidation over diversity. Barack Obama
believes that providing opportunities for minority-owned businesses to
own radio and television stations is fundamental to creating the
diverse media environment that federal law requires and the country
deserves and demands."

  PRIVACY:

  "Dramatic increases in computing power, decreases in storage costs
and huge flows of information that characterize the digital age bring
enormous benefits, but also create risk of abuse. We need sensible
safeguards that protect privacy in this dynamic new world."

  USING TECHNOLOGY IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS:

  "An Obama presidency will use cutting-edge technologies to reverse
this dynamic, creating a new level of transparency, accountability and
participation for America's citizens. Technology-enabled citizen
participation has already produced ideas driving Obama's campaign and
its vision for how technology can help connect government to its
citizens and engage citizens in a democracy. Barack Obama will use the
most current technological tools available to make government less
beholden to special interest groups and lobbyists and promote citizen
participation in government decision-making. "

  TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT:

  "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."

  BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT:

  "Barack Obama believes that America should lead the world in
broadband penetration and Internet access. As a country, we have
ensured that every American has access to telephone service and
electricity, regardless of economic status, and Obama will do likewise
for broadband Internet access."

  PROFESSIONAL VISAS:

  "Most H-1B new arrivals, for example, have earned a bachelor's
degree or its equivalent abroad (42.5%). They are not all PhDs. We can
and should produce more Americans with bachelor's degrees that lead to
jobs in technology. "

  PATENTS:

  "system that produces timely, high-quality patents is essential for
global competitiveness in the 21st century. By improving
predictability and clarity in our patent system, we will help foster
an environment that encourages innovation. Giving the Patent and
Trademark Office (PTO) the resources to improve patent quality and
opening up the patent process to citizen review will reduce the
uncertainty and wasteful litigation that is currently a significant
drag on innovation."

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