Hey y’all.  It’s been awhile since we last talked. Well, I’m doin ok.  I hope y’all are all living blessed. Have you decided who you’re voting for yet?  What about that Sarah Palin?  Who’s going to win?  All these question and more like them can be discussed on another blog; as for us, we are going to talk more about Mr. McCain’s proposed way of doing technology for America, if he becomes “the man.”
 
To start off, Mr. McCain believes that in order to get America at the forefront of the technological revolution, we need to invest in programs that will encourage more students to participate in the math, science and technology fields.  According to Mr. McCain, less than 20% of students in the US obtain degrees in the maths and sciences (that because it’s hard). Mr. McCain went further to say that the number of students pursuing computer science degrees has fallen by over 50% in less than a decade.  He believes that by introducing programs like the “America Competes Act” we will be able to move these numbers in a positive direction again.  Mr. McCain also is aware that there is a digital divide between Americans with access to broadband and information communication technologies and those without, and he has attempted to address the issue by providing grants for digital and wireless technologies instruction to minorities and those in the lower income brackets.
 
Due to the fact that participation in the abovementioned areas is dwindling, we are coming up with a shortage of skilled tech workers.  Mr. McCain believes he can address this issue by leveraging our technologically skilled workforce by increasing the number of H-1B visas granted to foreign workers, who are oftentimes educated in the United States, and encouraging those workers to stay here in the States to benefit our national productivity.My three cents.
 
All this is good and I really have nothing bad to say, just a suggestion.  Mr. McCain’s camp has made it a point to make it known that he has supported efforts in the past, on behalf of minorities, to shrink the digital divide by providing the grants mentioned above. I think that Mr. McCain could be even more effective in reducing the digital divide by providing grants and scholarships to those same individuals interested in taking advantage of digital instruction by funding their education at traditional colleges and other post secondary schools. If these same people realize that America will help them learn new skills, and will assist them in getting a degree and earning a living, they will more likely to pursue careers in math, science and technology-related professions, thereby increasing the pool of qualified minorities in the market.

Hey everybody; it’s me again.  I am here to make another contribution to the independent thought forum that is “ITEmpowersU.com”. I think yall remember me saying that I wanted to discuss the various tech stances that the candidates want to institute.  In my last post I discussed a bit of the direction that Mr. McCain wanted to move America in – I liked it - minus the big emphasis on globalization. 

So what does Obama say about the direction he will take America in with Technology?  Well, Obama has five pillars to his tech policy; over the next few days I am going to post about the three I am most interested in:

• Create a transparent and connected democracy.
• Encourage a modern communications infrastructure.
• Employ technology to solve our nation’s most pressing problems.

Today we are going to talk about his intentions to create a transparent and connected democracy.  Barack says that we should “open up the government to our citizens” to make it more transparent.  Barack believes that the marriage between government and special interest groups have impeded progress in America by shifting access to privileged information, which should be available to the public, to certain groups who have benefited from policies created for their corporate gain.  Barack wants us to have access to much of the same information as special interest groups so that we can be empowered to make positive changes in our communities.

Another way that Barack will create transparency is through e-sources like Websites and blog.  Barack wants to provide the common citizen access to knowledge on the sometimes secret deals that occur in Washington.  Under Barack the public will have access to information about   grants, contracts, earmarks and other transactions that otherwise would not be available to it.

My three cents

I like his idea to create more transparency. I think that openness can foster honesty,  but is it possible to be too transparent .  In my personal opinion, I don’t think all information should be for all people.  I do think that the government can do it’s shady dealings but I do know that what one uneducated citizen might see as a shady dealing today might actually provide jobs for a community some years down the road.  If left to the well intentioned, whistle blowing citizen those jobs might never be created.  Sometimes things done under conver can end up for the common good – buuuuuut usually not – I’m playing devil’s advocate.  Let me know what yall think.

Hey ed- body.  Back once again – it’s the INCREDIBLE “D”.   Naaw, for real.  How are ya’ll doin.  I’m well; I am well.  For the next few days I am going to make an effort to discuss the different technological ideologies of the running candidates.  Keep in mind that I have a counterpart that will be doing his own things on various Tech issues but mine, at least for a bit, will be on the technology stances touted by our two completely different candidates. As I have mentioned in the past; I won’t discuss who I am voting for but I will call a spade a spade.  If I think the idea is great, I will say so; if the idea is not so great I will make fun of it but isn’t that one of the beauties of a blog; you can take the political correctness right outta the politics.

Let’s start with McCain, today and his Technology stance.  Like President Bush, Mr. McCain believes heavily in a global market place. He says that “markets work best when there is robust competition” and believes that, as with other goods, the economy of technology should be consumer driven with minimal government regulation.  Mr. McCain (I feel like I have to call him “Mr. McCain” because he’s so old – sorry) justifies his stance by saying that “any new device will cost less because of more competition” consequently, the larger the competing arena the lower the price will be.

What about his ideas on the internet?  Well Mr. McCain believes that all individuals should have access to high-speed internet and the educational and economic opportunities provided by it, so as president he says he will encourage private companies to invest in the infrastructure that will help make this belief a reality.  I think that even Mr. McCain knows that private industry can and does fail at times (as all man made things tend to do) which is why he states that in the case where private industry can not meet the demands or needs of a market, local government can step in to help create infrastructure that will.

My three cents

So what do you think?  Personally – for the most part; I like this part of the plan but I am torn between the whole “Global Competition”.  On one hand GC will allow for lower prices and quicker technological advancement but at what cost - there is always a cost.  Will it be at the price of quality or jobs?  I think that those are valid questions when you take into consideration the problems we have been having with goods from other countries not to mention rising unemployment levels.  In January national unemployment levels were around 4.7% NOW they hover around 5.5%.  I can’t help but wonder if a little less globalization and a little more domestic investment in jobs might help us all out a little more in the long run. But I’m not an economist, just an opinion head and that’s my opinion.

I do like his ideas on the internet.  I am all for doing whatever it takes to make this technology available to all.  I like his contingency supplement; the idea that encourages local government to step in when private industry fails or when they (private industry)  think that they have picked all the low hanging fruit.  I think that it will take a balanced and concerted effort from both sides to make this goal a reality and again, I am all for an effort that can bring this dream to fruition.