Barack Obama is going to appoint the nation's first CTO. What are the top priorities?
-
13,733 votes
Ensure the Internet is widely accessible & network neutral
The Internet is one of the most valuable technical resources in America. In order to continue the amazing growth and utility of the Internet, the CTO's policies should:
Improve accessibility in remote and depressed areas.
Maintain a carrier and content neutral network.
Foster a competitive ... more
-
10,639 votes
ensure our privacy and repeal the patriot act.
The patriot act had many sub-ordinate clauses that strip away our privacy as American citizens. These were shoehorned in as an effort to protect us, while they in fact strip us of certain rights to privacy as citizens. Lets protect our nation while ensuring confidence and privacy to our citizens.
-
8,881 votes
Repeal the Digital Milennium Copyright Act (DMCA)
It is evident that the framers of the infamous Digital Millenium Copyright Act intended it to have a transformative effect on the public and legal perception of intellectual property. In the attempt to develop a fully-realized definition of what constitutes infringement, fair use, and the rights ... more
-
6,988 votes
Complete the job on metrication that Ronald Reagan defunded
The government has failed to take the lead on completing the task of moving the country completely to the SI metric system. George H.W. Bush tried to do something about it, but gave the bureaucrats an easy out. Failure to follow the same measurement standards as the rest of the world is costing U... more
-
6,176 votes
Open Government Data (APIs, XML, RSS)
We can unleash a wave of civic innovation if we open up government data to programmers. The government has a treasure trove of information: legislation, budgets, voter files, campaign finance data, census data, etc. Let's STANDARDIZE, STRUCTURE, and OPEN up this data.
-
5,988 votes
Kick Start Research and Innovation in Energy
Double the # of engineers who graduate from American universities each year to 60K. Bring more women into the field, encourage foreigners who study engineering here to stay.
We train foreign nationals, invest in them, and then make them go home. I would staple a green card to their diploma.
-
4,493 votes
Get broadband to every community in America
One strategy to bridge the digital divide is to make sure everyone has broadband access to the Internet. Broadband should be available everywhere--with plenty of public access in libraries and other government offices for people who can't afford broadband in their homes.
-
2,906 votes
Ensure reliable & trustworthy election technologies
Electronic voting machines are insecure, unreliable, and prone to a variety of problems that undermine trust in our elections process. Optical scanners and other technologies have some problems as well.
The CTO can create a clear roadmap to get reliable, trustworthy, verifiable voting technolog... more
-
2,425 votes
Gov to be ran on 100% free software
Premise: Software is licensed to distribute the overhead of its initial development, the cost of which few organizations could afford. Because all government software purchases are made with public funds, the public should be licensed to use it.
Proposition: All future investments are to be mad... more
-
2,185 votes
Start a "Green Collar Jobs" program
Connect the work that most needs doing (retrofitting our buildings with solar panels, insulation, etc.) with the people who most need work. Let's have the green energy revolution lift all boats--not create an energy apartheid! See http://www.vanjones.net/ for more.
-
1,866 votes
Require open access for publicly-funded research
Require open access to the results of non-classified research funded by taxpayers. Extend the exemplary policy now in place at the NIH to all federal agencies.
-
1,866 votes
Build a nation-wide smart grid
Embed intelligence throughout a nation-wide electrical grid, on both sides of the meter to enhance the efficiency of distribution and use. This will (A) accelerate the penetration of sources like solar & wind that are diurnal or intermittent; (B) take advantage of smart meters and distribut... more
-
1,365 votes
Carefully consider the future of Intellectual Property right
We're at the early stages of what appears to be a slow-motion upheaval of IP rights worldwide. What we're missing is a clear and consistent vision and set of policies in this space. Patents, copyright law, and many other aspects fit under this umbrella.
-
1,120 votes
Make election software application code public property
The mechanics of democracy should not be private. Elections should be completely transparent . The private sector should not be able to profit from proprietary vote counting systems. All vote counting software applications should be the property of the citizens of the United States of America. ... more
-
968 votes
Allow the public to comment on all legislation
Allow at least a 5 day comment period where the public can comment on all legislation before it is signed into law.
-
851 votes
Restore DARPA to its former glory and autonomy
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is the research and development arm of the Defence Department. They were a key player in the development of the Internet--now they are making robots that will run up caves. We are starving for fundamental research.
-
845 votes
Launch more X-Prize type contests
Spur innovation by putting a few million dollar prizes out there. You'll get a lot more than a million dollars of innovative work out of it.
-
688 votes
Public online bidding process for government projects
Create a website where large and small government projects are opened to bidding from private companies, organizations, and individuals.
Make some information about the bids public so that interested parties can assist in ensuring that jobs are only awarded to those who are qualified and ready ... more
-
610 votes
rely on open standards, open devices, OS where possible
We need to multipurpose devices, networks, spectrum whenever and wherever possible. Government procurement can lead the way by demanding openness for procurements that involve large numbers of machines. For example, transponders in cars; smart meters in homes; huge laptop or cellphone purchases; ... more
-
563 votes
Introduces Social Media Inside Government
Execute a social media strategy that integrates public and government on all levels.
- STRUCTURE: Create a distributed multi way information plan: Country, State County, City, People and back.
- TOPICS: Create focus topics like Energy, Economy, Transportation... you get the idea.
- WORK GROUPS: ... more