Obama's manifesto for the BoingBoing generation

Barack Obama appealing to people interested in the net, technology, ethical
business and the environment. Sort of a BoingBoing generation.

"II. Create a Transparent and Connected Democracy

Obama will integrate citizens into the actual business of government by:

.. 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.

.. 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.

.. Restoring the basic principle that government decisions should be based on
the best-available, scientifically-valid evidence and not on the ideological
predispositions of agency officials.

.. Lifting the veil from secret deals in Washington with a web site, a search
engine, and other web tools that enable citizens easily to track online
federal grants, contracts, earmarks, and lobbyist contacts with government
officials.

.. Giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the
White House website for five days before signing any non-emergency
legislation.

.. In an Obama administration, the government's economic policy-making
organizations and councils will include individuals with backgrounds in our
technology industry.


IV. Employ Technology and Innovation to Solve Our Nation's Most Pressing
Problems

Barack Obama will invest $150 billion over the next ten years to enable
American engineers, scientists and entrepreneurs to advance the next
generation of biofuels and fuel infrastructure, accelerate the
commercialization of plug-in hybrids, promote development of
commercial-scale renewable energy, and begin the transition to a new digital
electricity grid. Obama will:

.. Invest in the development of the next generation of biofuels, including
cellulosic ethanol.

.. Increase the resources devoted to the commercialization and deployment of
low-carbon coal technologies.

.. Create a Clean Technologies Deployment Venture Capital Fund, funded by an
annual $10 billion investment for five years, to ensure that promising
technologies move beyond the lab and are commercialized in the U.S.

.. Use innovative measures to dramatically improve the energy efficiency and
stability of our economy and improve our national energy intensity 50
percent by 2030.

.. Invest in a digital smart energy grid.


V. Improve America's Competitiveness

Reform the Patent System: A 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. With
better informational resources, the Patent and Trademark Office could offer
patent applicants who know they have significant inventions the option of a
rigorous and public peer review that would produce a "gold-plated" patent
much less vulnerable to court challenge. Where dubious patents are being
asserted, the PTO could conduct low-cost, timely administrative proceedings
to determine patent validity. As president, Barack Obama will ensure that
our patent laws protect legitimate rights while not stifling innovation and
collaboration."

The paper is here:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/-/HQpress/111307%20Innovation%20fact%20***.pdf

Some commentary here:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071114-obamas-innovation-plan-a-christmas-list-for-the-geekerarti.html


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