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November 16, 2005
Democrats call for 'Innovation agenda'
Posted by Renee Hopkins Callahan
Many news organizations have reported Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi's Tuesday call for a revived "innovation agenda." The article I saw that seemed most complete and balanced was in CIO.com. According to this article, the Democratic plan would include creating financial aid programs that would among other things, add 100,000 new scientists, mathematicians and engineers to the U.S. workforce in the next four years. The plans also calls for doubling the grants issued by the National Science Foundation and bringing affordable access to broadband Internet to all U.S. residents within five years.
Said Pelosi in the article, "' The innovation agenda will be the Democrats’ top priority,' although she avoided questions about what issues will now take a lower priority and how Congress will pay for the new programs. Democrats don’t want Congress to run up the U.S. government’s budget deficit, she said, and the Democratic agenda calls for new programs to be funded on a 'pay-as-you-go' basis."
Of course, Republicans say that they want pretty much the same things. President Bush has already called for universal broadband by 2007. And according to the article, "In March, Senate Republicans called for patent reform, a permanent R&D (research and development) tax credit, and patent reform in a 40-item list of technology-related goals. In May, House Republicans pushed for reform of telecommunications regulations, legislation to combat spyware, and new ways to curb digital piracy."
I have no expertise in policy, and would love to read some commentary from someone who is who could make recommendations on how to attain these goals. It's great that the Republicans and Democrats seem to agree on what's needed for the U.S. to regain or keep (depending on your point of view) its leadership in the technology industry. It's also great that Republicans and Democrats reportedly are both talking to technology and busienss executives in an effort to understand what's needed. But it's very unfortunate that the parties disagree about what laws and policies are needed to make this innovation agenda happen. That in and of itself tells me that the road ahead is going to be slow going, especially since next year is an election year.
Comments (4)
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Renee Hopkins Callahan started IdeaFlow and serves as chief blog-wrangler. She is 
1. kris olsen on November 19, 2005 8:28 AM writes...
We need 'incentives' to be innovative and creative?
We need 'legislation' to get us to innovate?
With all due respect to GBGames' somewhat predictable, self-centered, tired media mantra, that is not the 'innovation' we're talking about.
This is about industrial strength creativity - new products, new markets, new channels. Its about doing more, better, smarter. Its about making money.
The idea that the government is going to lead the charge and 'legislate innovation' is too head-splittingly stupid to even think about on a Saturday morning. The greatest obstacle to creativity and innovation IS the government.
How about repealing laws that are are obstacles to innovation - starting with Sarbanes-Oxley. Does anybody realize how much money is being spent on compliance that would otherwise be spent on innovation which creates growth and profit and actually creates shareholder returns?
FOR CRYING OUT LOUD - Just get the damn government out of the way!
Permalink to Comment2. kris on November 21, 2005 12:35 PM writes...
FYI - I posted the 2nd comment last week. 2 comments show on the 'Ideaflow' blog site for this post, but when you click on 'Comments', only the first comment is showing up.
Permalink to Comment3. thomas Barta on December 1, 2005 9:54 AM writes...
four thoughts:
1)The GOP is very anti-school. No Child Left Behind is a transparent assault on public education. We still have the best universities on the planet, but we need good freshman to keep filling the seats.
2)Pandering to Creationist and/or anti-stem cell fruitcakes does nothing to create future tech jobs. It sends jobs overseas. (Off-topic, but most would agree that global warming is the biggest threat to civilization, and we aignoring that, too)
3) We need to make it easier to allow good foreigners to come and to stay.
4)We need to change the tax code to discourage outsourcing. Why pay coders in Bangalore, when we can have them over here, buying US products and paying US taxes?
Permalink to Comment4. ED on January 2, 2006 3:14 AM writes...
Science needs funding.
I'd rather see exploration and discovery than bombs and destruction.
Military money can be shifted to creative activities.
Are we not striving for "Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness"
in order to create a More Perfect Union?
The great expeditions of Lewis and Clark were government funded studies.
Permalink to CommentAn "innovative agenda" is equally as important for structuring "trade routes"
in the realm of ideas.