Obama Campaign Press Release - Experts Praise Barack Obama's Technology and Innovation Agenda

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"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." [Reed Hundt, Former Chairman, Federal Communications Commission (1993-1997)]

"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." [William E. Kennard, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission (1997-2001); Managing Director, The Carlyle Group]

"Senator Obama has offered a broad range of initiatives to help America recover from the destructive effects of the last seven years, and I'm happy to support all of them. I'm particularly happy to see his strong but balanced proposal for "network neutrality" legislation, which, with minimum regulation, would help to reestablish and assure a competitive platform for innovation. More interesting to me, however, is the Senator's plan for opening government up. His proposal is not just that data about our government be available. It is instead that data be made available in a form and manner that social and political innovators can use to develop new tools to hold our government accountable. Think RSS or Atom applied to the full range of data we need to measure integrity and honesty in government. The great work of groups such as Sunlight and Maplight has obviously been an inspiration for Senator Obama's program. And recognition of the potential from this relatively subtle change is a signal that Obama gets how technology can matter, both to growing the economy, and shrinking corruption within government." [ Lawrence Lessig, Professor of Law, Stanford University]

"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." [Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO, Google, Inc.]

"Barack Obama realizes the pivotal role that technology plays in the 21st century. His plan is comprehensive and progressive. The Senator has taken a clear stand on difficult issues to ensure that Americans get the best of what technology can offer while protecting us from some all too real dangers. Obama recognizes, now more than ever, that technology can and must be harnessed to improve our government, our economy, and people's lives. As President, Barack Obama's approach to technology will be indicative of his overall smart, practical, and optimistic vision for America." [Jonathan Miller, Former Chairman and CEO, America Online, Inc.]

"Senator Obama's proposal to open up government decision-making represents a powerful commitment to democracy. I am proud to support it. Barack Obama recognizes that we can use new technology to make government more transparent. But he would also ensure that citizens have the right and ability to make use of information from their government to empower themselves. He calls for citizen engagement in the work of federal agencies and thereby demonstrates his deep commitment to democracy and his respect for the intelligence and expertise of the American people. Alone among the candidates, Barack Obama understands that the time, expertise and enthusiasm that people invest in making Wikipedia better, for example, can be transformed into practices to make government work better. And Barack Obama understands that new technology, including blogs, wikis and social networking tools, can be brought to bear to modernize government, improve decision-making and deepen democracy in the digital age. The ideas set forth in the Obama plan make this the right plan for American Democracy." [Beth Noveck, Professor of Law, New York Law School]

"Barack Obama understands the power of technological innovation to revitalize American society. His unequivocal support for the policy of network neutrality will keep the Internet truly open. The creation and appointment of a national Chief Technology Officer will foster a much needed increase in the transparency of government and the re-democratization of governing processes to include all Americans. Importantly, he will also take steps to ensure America's economic competitiveness, including a much-needed reform of the patent system." [Mitch Kapor, President, Kapor Enterprises; Founder, Lotus Development Corporation]

"Sen. Obama's Innovation and Technology Policy is both innovative and far reaching. As someone who works with emerging growth companies on a day to day basis in the health care and clean technology areas, I am particularly impressed by his commitment to supporting the use of technology in these critical areas." [John Roos, CEO, Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati]

"Barack Obama 'gets' technology. He will be a true 21st century President, using technology to improve the lives of all Americans. Barack Obama understands the powerful role that technology must play in solving our most pressing problems like energy, climate change, health care & education. He understands that we need a strong, competitive and constantly innovating technology industry to create jobs and drive economic growth. He understands that technology is an essential tool to open up government to citizens and improve government functioning dramatically. The Obama campaign is making history in its use of technology to connect with ordinary citizens. An Obama administration will make smart and aggressive use of our country's technology expertise, one of our most unique and important resources." [Julius Genachowski, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Rock Creek Ventures; former Chief of Business Operations & General Counsel, IAC/InterActiveCorp; former Chief Counsel to FCC Chairman Reed Hundt]

"Barack Obama's Technology and Innovation plan is by far the most comprehensive roadmap of all the Presidential candidates for how digital technology and broadband networks can transform our society. Senator Obama understands the importance of an open, nondiscriminatory and universally accessible broadband Internet and balanced copyright and patent laws to robust civic discourse, innovation, creativity and competition. He also understands the importance technology plays in solving the most vexing problems our country faces: low cost health care, energy independence, cleaning up the environment, global competitiveness, providing a quality education for our children, and fortifying our first responders through modern public safety networks. Technology and innovation issues have been virtually ignored, and often politicized over the past eight years - today, more than ever, we need a President for the digital age. With this plan, Barack Obama demonstrates that he is the best candidate for the job." [Gigi Sohn, President and Co-Founder, Public Knowledge]

"Net neutrality will continue the twentieth-century tradition of competition policy in telecommunications and bring it into the twenty-first century. There are sensible arguments on both sides, but on balance I believe thoughtful enforcement of net neutrality will be a winner by protecting opportunities for web-based innovators to succeed without having to build a relationship with a cable or phone company. I also agree with Senator Obama's statement that strong antitrust enforcement makes capitalism work for consumers. It's important to strengthen consumer protection against anticompetitive mergers and monopolization." [Joseph Farrell, Professor of Economics at the University of California, Berkeley; Chief Economist at the Federal Communications Commission (1996-97); Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Economics (chief economist), Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice (2000-2001)]

"I was lucky enough to work for Vice President Gore, one of the few politicians of our generation who was not afraid of technology, but rather embraced technology for its power to transform our government and our nation. With this plan, Barack Obama shows that he too has the vision and a plan to harness the power of technology to make America a more open and equal society and once again a leader in innovation around the world." [Don Gips; Executive Vice President, Corporate Development, Level 3 Communications; Former Chief Domestic Policy Advisor to Vice President Gore]

"Senator Obama has a vision to take the application of technology in our country to new levels. He believes that the thoughtful application of technology can address challenges such as government transparency, healthcare management and efficiency, energy independence, and universal broadband access. Senator Obama also has the ability to recognize opportunity where others do not. He understands that technology can be used to address some of today's most pressing issues, such as creating sustainable jobs, providing competitive wages, and leveraging the distinctive talents of the American people irrespective of where they live. Senator Obama's vision for technology is transformative and will lead to sustainable economic development - and this is why I support his campaign." [Robert Blackwell; President, Electronic Knowledge Interchange]

" America's youth are growing up in an increasingly connected global economy. Barack Obama's innovation plan will ensure that this generation of young people can compete and succeed as they enter the workforce. Senator Obama understands the power of information and connectedness in the 21st century to create opportunity, make government open and accessible, and bring people together." [Alec Ross, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President, One Economy]

"Barack Obama's plan takes our country's strong technology leadership in the private sector and brings it to the public sector in a number of important ways. Significant investment in our communications infrastructure is vital both to broaden access for broadband and to foster investment in the next generation of products and services that depend on it. Upgrading the quality of our educational system particularly around math and science is the best way to not only insure continued US competitiveness but also to make sure that future job growth happens in America rather than overseas. At the same time comprehensive immigration reform is essential to make sure that we continue to be a magnet for the best talent from around the world and provide them a path to become Americans over time. Obama's plan accomplishes all of this and much more." [Deven J. Parekh, Managing Director, Insight Venture Partners]

"Among the little attended but most astounding failures of the Bush administration is the absence of a comprehensive national broadband strategy. Instead, we have been given unrealistic goals, '˜mission accomplished' rhetoric, and federal policy that has supported entrenched incumbency over competition and innovation. The Obama plan presents a bold prescription for an open Internet to put America back on top of the world in communications technology. This is a blueprint to bring the United States universal, affordable access to next generation telecommunications, overlaying competition policy on the public airwaves and our network infrastructure to revolutionize the online marketplace of ideas and commerce." [Ben Scott, Policy Director, Free Press]

"In his technology plan, Barack Obama shows not only that he gets the power of the Internet as a means of transforming politics—which the very conduct of his campaign proves—but that he also appreciates how the Internet is transforming our economy and society. From his policy commitments to spurring the availability of broadband throughout the U.S. to unleashing opportunities to make wireless spectrum more available to chartering a Public Media 2.0 for the digital age to ensuring that the U.S. government commits to the levels of transparency and participation that the Internet makes possible, Obama's plan provides an ambitious, creative, and thoughtful roadmap for his administration." [Phil Weiser, Professor of Law and Telecommunications, University of Colorado]