Technology on the Agenda

January 21, 2009

Last night, only hours after Obama's inauguration, I visited the White House's .gov web site and, low and behold, it had changed. Changed from the previous staid and information-laden site to a vibrant, interactive entity. Whoa. It shouldn't come as a surprise, really, since the Obama campaign used the Internet to its fullest to organize fundraising and support at the community level like no one else previously. But it sort of feels like a surprise, almost like, hey this guy might actually do what he said he was gonna do. Amazing!

A word that jumps out, and a word he used on the campaign trail, is "transparency." Here is the President's agenda, with details about what he wants to accomplish. On that agenda is a category called "Technology." At first glance, you see that this administration will be embracing science and technology as friend not foe and to use it "to solve our nation's most pressing problems -- including improving clean energy, healthcare costs, and public safety." There are seven major uses listed, each with bulleted action plans below. To summarize:

• Ensure the Full and Free Exchange of Ideas through an Open Internet and Diverse Media Outlets
• Create a Transparent and Connected Democracy (there's that word again)
• Deploy a Modern Communications Infrastructure
• Improve America's Competitiveness
• Prepare All our Children for the 21st Century Economy
• Prepare Adults for a Changing Economy
• Employ Science, Technology and Innovation to Solve Our Nation's Most Pressing Problems

The web site also has a blog and front door through which anyone from the public can participate and inform government.

Ya know. I'm starting to think he meant it.