Candidates' Policies on Technology and Innovation

#1
TennTradition

TennTradition

Defended.
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#1
This is a pretty good read sent to me by a friend/colleague that works for the Senate Energy committee (so it must be valid, right? :)). It's worth a look, particularly the breakdown in tabular form of both candidates' policies on various technology and innovation issues.

http://www.itif.org/files/2008-CampaignTechAgenda.pdf

You'll have to forgive the primer in the front that basically explains how republicans and democrats are different when it comes to taxing, spending, and governing. If you wanted to skip to the tables, you wouldn't miss that much. I haven't seen a comparison this detailed/complete anywhere else.
 
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#2
#2
your post the other day regarding some MIT dweeb actually forced me to rethink my position about our focus on technology.

Thinking about it reinforced for me that we are far and away the leaders in that arena and our structure on that front, while not perfect, is incredible in generating new technology.

I don't like the idea of the gov't funding the innovation. I like the capital markets handling it.

Nonetheless, I do give a plus to Obama for using the internet and a minus to McCain for avoiding it (but that's just to make TennNC feel good).
 
#5
#5
BigPapaVol said:
your post the other day regarding some MIT dweeb actually forced me to rethink my position about our focus on technology.

Thinking about it reinforced for me that we are far and away the leaders in that arena and our structure on that front, while not perfect, is incredible in generating new technology.

I don't like the idea of the gov't funding the innovation. I like the capital markets handling it.

Nonetheless, I do give a plus to Obama for using the internet and a minus to McCain for avoiding it (but that's just to make TennNC feel good).
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Are you talking about the Washington Post op-ed I posted? It was by our president, Susan Hockfield....or are you talking about something else?

I'm some where in the middle on this issue (surprise, surprise). I think that there is tremendous upside to spurring private market innovation through R&D tax credits, etc. However, while this would channel money into a wide variety of research areas and organizations, I think that there is still a place for expanded government investment into some areas - particularly where it might involve technologies that displace existing technologies.

I think that research and innovation clusters will be huge in the future of the US technology innovation infrastructure. This is something that I hope that McCain picks up on as well because it really can be a great fusion of local/state interests and money, research universities often bringing federal and private funds, and actual private company involvement. I think that a lot of work will be done toward energy innovation in this sort of setting.
 
#6
#6
that's the one.

I'm with you, there is room for gov't funded research, but I didn't like her tone essentially calling out the gov't for investing too little.

That said, I understand that her function is capital raising for the university and she has a research bent.
 
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#8
#8
BigPapaVol said:
that's the one.

I'm with you, there is room for gov't funded research, but I didn't like her tone essentially calling out the gov't for investing to little.

That said, I understand that her function is capital raising for the university and she has a research bent.
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That's essentially how I look at it too...but I think that one point she is driving home that is worth making is investment in basic science research. The large private research labs have all but disappeared...such as Bell labs which gave us the transistor. In their absence, I think that the government does have a role in funding basic science .... and those budgets have shrunk vs. inflation for some time. I'm more of a technologist than a scientist....so I generally get more excited about applied science...but basic science research is still important...you can't just get into a mode of applied science .... that will only carry you for so long.
 
#9
#9
TennTradition said:
That's essentially how I look at it too...but I think that one point she is driving home that is worth making is investment in basic science research. The large private research labs have all but disappeared...such as Bell labs which gave us the transistor. In their absence, I think that the government does have a role in funding basic science .... and those budgets have shrunk vs. inflation for some time. I'm more of a technologist than a scientist....so I generally get more excited about applied science...but basic science research is still important...you can't just get into a mode of applied science .... that will only carry you for so long.
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I'll defer to you here, because I just flat don't know.

I know that business from the VC side, which is an entirely different view.
 
#10
#10
BigPapaVol said:
I'll defer to you here, because I just flat don't know.

I know that business from the VC side, which is an entirely different view.
Click to expand...

I would like to learn more about the VC side....I think that I am going to take some "managing technology" classes over at Sloan before I graduate...but I would love to hear your perspectives sometime.
 
#11
#11
Thanks for the post - very informative.

After reading it, I don't see how taxes could possibly be raised enough to pay for all the new agencies, initiatives, grants, etc. in the Obama plan.
 
#12
#12
TennTradition said:
I would like to learn more about the VC side....I think that I am going to take some "managing technology" classes over at Sloan before I graduate...but I would love to hear your perspectives sometime.
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have a few good friends from Sloan. very sharp folk.

I would think the VC world would be available to you in the not too distant future, assuming you leaned a bit toward the enormous sustainability movement that it arising today.
 
#13
#13
TennTradition said:
I would like to learn more about the VC side....I think that I am going to take some "managing technology" classes over at Sloan before I graduate...but I would love to hear your perspectives sometime.
Click to expand...

I can recommend some reading for you along these lines - it's kinda my area of focus.
 
#16
#16
BigPapaVol said:
I'll defer to you here, because I just flat don't know.

I know that business from the VC side, which is an entirely different view.
Click to expand...
What do the North Vietnamese have to do with this conversation?

(Sorry, we all have our Finevol moments)
 
#17
#17
BigPapaVol said:
have a few good friends from Sloan. very sharp folk.
Click to expand...

There were a lot of Sloanies in the climate change policy course I took a few years ago...I enjoyed interacting with them. They're so damn ambitious, its sick. One gal owned a bunch of socially conscious businesses bringing clean water to places in haiti, afghanistan, pakistan, etc. Another woman was named CTO of Caterpillar while we were in the class...which was just freaking ridiculous. I wouldn't mind taking more classes with them just for the sponge effect.
 
#18
#18
TennTradition said:
Whatcha got?
Click to expand...
VC for Dummies.
Everything you wanted to know about VC, but were afraid to ask.
VCs, the illustrated history.
VC, not just letters any more.
So, you wanna be a Venture Capitalist?
VCs, the inside story.
You think you know Private Equity?
VC lingo translated to 7 popular languages.
 
#21
#21
BigPapaVol said:
VC for Dummies.
Everything you wanted to know about VC, but were afraid to ask.
VCs, the illustrated history.
VC, not just letters any more.
So, you wanna be a Venture Capitalist?
VCs, the inside story.
You think you know Private Equity?
VC lingo translated to 7 popular languages.
Click to expand...
What about "VC works for me". Dr. Seuss had range.
 
#22
#22
BigPapaVol said:
VC for Dummies.
Everything you wanted to know about VC, but were afraid to ask.
VCs, the illustrated history.
VC, not just letters any more.
So, you wanna be a Venture Capitalist?
VCs, the inside story.
You think you know Private Equity?
VC lingo translated to 7 popular languages.
Click to expand...

VC: Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask is an actual book...are any of the others?
 
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