TechWonk Blog
TechWonk Blog
Go Back
-
Hollywood’s movie magic historically begins with the bark of “Lights? Camera? Action!” Last night, President Barack Obama urged Congress to join him in “a year of action,” and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-WA), in her response, echoed that sentiment with a call for “real action.” It appears there is growing hope for some policy magic on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. We at ITI agree [...]
-
As President Barack Obama prepares to deliver the State of the Union address tomorrow night, many reporters, political experts, and pundits are whirling about, attempting to predict the substance of the speech. Meanwhile, we here in the tech sector see this speech as a chance to outline an agenda of opportunity – a chance for policymakers to create economic opportunity for our country. Here are 10 [...]
-
I had the opportunity earlier today in the Great Hall of the Department of Justice to listen to President Obama outline measures to reform the nation’s surveillance framework, and to engage on surveillance reform on an international level. I am encouraged by what I heard. It’s clear that the White House listened carefully to the concerns, reforms, and principles that the tech sector has submitted and [...]
-
The ongoing revelations about data collection by the National Security Agency (NSA) represent a clear and present danger to U.S. economic security. As we eagerly await tomorrow’s announcement by President Obama, it’s important to note that these NSA revelations have not only accelerated the push for reform in the U.S., but also the promotion of problematic legislation in various countries. Many of [...]
-
The 113th Congress is poised to have a second half that is potentially as spectacular and certainly more significant than the historic comeback by the Indianapolis Colts in the National Football League playoffs this past weekend. Much like the football analysts on ESPN, the policy punditocracy have given up on the prospect for any real productivity from this Congress. We in the tech sector, however, [...]
-
Even in his parting, Nelson Mandela has given us a gift. The opportunity to look beyond today and towards the lessons learned from his life that may help all of us tomorrow. That legacy is rich and potentially rewarding if we are willing to embrace it. Nelson Mandela was a patriot, pragmatist, and the rare leader who realized that what matters most are first principles rather than tactics. For [...]
-
Technology and innovation have broken through the industrial age’s barriers to commerce at a pace and degree unimaginable even to the entrepreneurs and inventors who ushered us into this extraordinary era. The resulting progress has transformed how people around the world live, work, learn, and play. We have left behind a more remote, siloed world and have progressed to a dynamic, interconnected [...]
-
Yet another partisan budget showdown and potential government shutdown eclipsed a recent significant event in Washington that has the potential to drive innovation, economic growth, and job creation in the United States -- namely, last week’s visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh provided an opportunity to return our historic bilateral relationship to a firmer footing with significant positive [...]
-
Significant alignment between the U.S. and EU standards and regulations approaches can mean significant new opportunities for our economies, including new jobs and innovative products and services for consumers. Today in Brussels, U.S. Trade Representative Mike Froman made that evident. Our goals for T-TIP are clear. A successful negotiation will create a comprehensive agreement, which not only [...]
-
We welcome the constructive steps that President Obama outlined today to improve the transparency and openness of the nation’s surveillance programs. We not only support greater transparency on the part of government, but also greater discretion on the part of business to be more transparent about their responses to government surveillance requests. These are important steps not just to increase [...]
- ...