Technology and the Presidential Candidates

While the Presidential candidates are busy debatingcan encourage corporations to narrow the margin
over important issues such as health care, the war inbetween people with high-speed Internet access and
Iraq, and the economy and safety of America, itthe economic gap by offering tax incentives.
seems almost inane to ask them how they feelWhen asked about net neutrality, Clinton, Obama,
about the future of technology. However, this is notand McCain all said that they felt that all Internet
the case. We need to think about the future oftraffic should be treated the same. Huckabee didn't
technology as the future of America. Economicallyknow that net neutrality refers to the preferential
speaking, America cannot grow and thrive if we aretreatment of some types of data over other and
not at the top of our technological game. Some ofthat many major ISPs are considering additional
the major concerns in the technological field includecharges to people depending on the amount of
keeping pace with other nations both in creating newbandwidth used. Once explained, Huckabee felt that
advances in technology, as well as making currentnet neutrality was a good thing. His analogy
technology more accessible. Sadly, America is fallingcomparing the Internet to a highway and data to the
behind other developed nations and is currently 14thvehicles on the highway conveyed his believe in
in providing broadband access to its citizens.equality on the Internet.
All of the candidates are pushing for a nationalOn the issues of privacy and security, both
Internet access coverage plan. Hillary Clinton's plan,Democratic candidates think that the current
"Connect America" would use federal tax breaks toHomeland Security wiretaps and other surveillance
encourage the major communication companies toimposed by the Bush administration should be put to
expand into less populated areas. Obama saysa stop. The Republican candidates feel that
Internet access should be treated like phone andsurveillance in the name of national security and to
electric service, an essential utility for everyfight terrorism should be allowed. All candidates felt
American. Mike Huckabee feels that legislation andthat the government should support programs that
regulations will help speed faster Internet access toencourage technological development.
the masses and McCain thinks that the government