The Techie Political Platform

The political primaries are heating up in the US, and despite the growing influence and presence of techies in the media generally, there does not seem to be a cohesive political platform around which techies can rally. Here are some thoughts on what such a platform should look like…

1. Freedom of Speech. If the Digg Fiasco has taught us anything, it is that techies value the freedom of speech above all else.

2. Environmentalism Gone are the days of big manufacturing, Techies tend to be concerned with living an eco-friendly life both in the way they work and in the way they live. A techie platform should certainly include measures that would cut industrial output, but also incentives to encourage people to reduce carbon emissions around the home as well.

3. Wireless Access for All The internet has brought the global community closer and in so doing brought a better livelihood to millions and increased cultural understanding and discussion. A techie political platform should include incentives to encourage companies to develop a nationwide wireless network.

4. Develop Stronger Antitrust Regulations Techies love choices, from their rejection of Microsoft for Ubuntu to their tendency to reject big corporate entrants in favor of smaller startups. One of the best ways to encourage a diversity of ideas and products is to aggressively breakup monopolies before they can squash their competition.

Certainly there are about a dozen things I could (and should) have added to this list, but the real point is just to get techies talking about politics so that we can have a voice in the conversation rather than just being relegated to the sidelines. So feel free to let me know what you would add to the list.