The Short Version of Obama vs. McCain: The Wired Scorecard

Although we don’t do politics here we do provide educational resources for green collar workers. This post falls into the Educational Resources for Green Collar Technology Workers category. Aside from the obvious voter information context, the full article at Wired magazine has a synopis for tech workers relating the issues listed below.

Knowing these issues can help us all identity opportunities and threats to strengthening Hawai`i’s digital economies. These issues are important to anyone wishing to support a strong digital economy in Hawai`i.

I’ve shortened the Wired article into the following scorecard (link to full post at bottom):

Broadband - The Issue: The United States is becoming a tortoise in a world of hares. One of the world’s most Wired nations a decade ago, we now lag behind most of our peers.

Broadband Grade:
McCain: D
Obama: B

H1B issues - The Issue: Many people skilled in technology around the world want to work in the United States, but it’s tough to get in if you don’t have a family member already living here.

H1B Visas Grade:
McCain: B+
Obama: C

Investment in green tech - The Issue: Technology is the best, and only way, to get us out of our environmental mess. Government’s best bet at solving this problem isn’t to pick and fund specific winners.

Green Tech Grade:
McCain: B
Obama: A

Net neutrality - The Issue: The question here is whether the telecom companies can pick and choose what they send over their pipes.

Net Nuetrality Grade:
McCain: D
Obama: A

Spectrum - The Issue: Spectrum is the technological equivalent of the roads over which our technology travels. Right now, clunky companies that use oxcarts own many of the widest highways.