Introducing - Paperless Government

In January of this year, Barack Obama visited the Google office in Mountain View, where I was working at the time. My colleagues and I stood in line for several hours to hear him speak and our patience paid off. We were standing not 5 feet away from him, as he made a quick speech and then took questions from CEO Eric Schmidt.

It was the only speech I heard from him that was focused (appropriately) on technology and government. In addition to the Google for Government initiative he has frequently talked about, he mentioned that he intends to appoint the first Chief Technology Officer for the country to bring government and the people closer together. On the nation's CTO's agenda will also be the following:

1. Provide increased broadband access across the country, and government subsidy plans to be modified so that they are offered to phone carriers who offer both phone and Internet service to rural areas.
2. Up the ante on the open wireless spectrum bidding initiative by the FCC to allow wholesale leasing, so that it doesn't just becoming something the highest bidder sits on to discourage others from using it. 
3. Support network neutrality
4. This one is more Immigration-related, but very relevant to the technology industry - make the H1B visa more flexible, so that those who are working on that visa can move more freely between jobs, and are not exploited by their employers.
5. Privacy initiative - develop and subsidize Tivo-like devices that would help parents better control what their kids watch on TV.

Wanna know what else is cool? Looks like the president-elect is already starting to make good on his promise - check out what he launched, one day after he got elected!!!

Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Yes, we can!