The 2012 race for the White House is well underway. During the numerous debates, campaign speeches and addresses, the five remaining presidential candidates have been outspoken about their stances on unemployment, education and foreign policy. But there's one area they haven't been very vocal on: technology.
Just where do these presidential hopefuls stand on issues like the Internet, high-speed connectivity and digital innovation? We did a little digging to find out.
Barack Obama
President Obama revolutionized the role that technology plays in campaigning during his 2008 bid for the presidency. His team at the White House continues to find innovative new ways to use tech to connect the president with Americans, like this week's Google+ hangout.
But does such a technologically-savvy president have a policy agenda to match?
Last month, the Obama administration came down against SOPA (the Stop Online Piracy Act) and its sister bill in the Senate, PIPA (PROTECT IP Act). During a Google+ hangout Monday evening, Obama said that America needs to protect the "fundamental integrity of the Internet as an open and transparent system."
In 2010, Obama created the Internet Policy Task Force inside the Commerce Department, tasked with reviewing matters of "privacy policies, copyright, (the) global free flow of information, cybersecurity, and innovation in the Internet economy."
Obama has made increased cybersecurity a priority. "(A) cyber threat is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation" said the president in May 2009. "America's economic prosperity in the 21st century will depend on cybersecurity."
In September of last year, Obama signed the America Invents Act, which the administration claims "helps companies and inventors avoid costly delays and unnecessary litigation — letting them focus instead on innovation and job creation."
On digital infrastructure, Obama issued a National Wireless Initiative in February of last year to bring high-speed wireless access to 98% of Americans within five years. The plan calls for a near doubling of available wireless spectrum for mobile devices and a one-time $5 billion investment in wireless 4G infrastructure for rural areas.
The Obama administration has also attempted to create a more "open and accountable" government on the web. Data.gov allows simple public access to government data, while the White House's We The People petition platform has generated some substantial responses (Although not all responses have met the satisfaction of users).
And on Space? Obama has said he's a strong advocate of space travel, but he has laid out less-than-urgent deadlines for NASA accomplishments: a visit to an asteroid by 2025 and Mars sometime in the 2030s.
Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign has clearly studied the technology-in-campaigns playbook of Obama's '08 team while updating it and adding some moves of their own. But what's the former Massachusetts Governor's stance on the tech issues of today?
Romney called a "very broad law" like SOPA "a mistake" during a CNN Republican debate held before the South Carolina Primary.
"The law as written is far too intrusive, far too expansive, far too threatening to freedom of speech and movement of information across the Internet," said Romney. "It would have a potentially depressing impact on one of the fastest-growing industries in America, which is the Internet and all those industries connected to it. At the same time, we care very deeply about intellectual content that's going across the Internet. And if we can find a way to very narrowly, through our current laws, go after those people who are pirating, particularly those from offshore, we'll do that. But a very broad law — I think that's a mistake."
A 2007 book authored by Lisa Ray Turner and Kimberly Field wrote that Romney has previously called for increased investment in technology and tech education.
And on the matter of attracting foreigners to start small business ventures in the U.S. (including tech startups), Romney said in a 2007 interview that he "like(s) the idea of the best and brightest in the world coming here. I'd rather have them come here permanently rather than come and go, but I believe our visa program is designed to help us solve gaps in our employment pool."
Romney's space plans aim higher than Obama's, but they orbit a bit closer to Earth than those of Gingrich. During a CNN debate before this week's Florida primary, Romney said he'd like to focus investments "here," meaning Earth. But also said he believes "in a very vibrant and strong space program," and made a bid for increased commercialization of space travel and exploration.
Mitt's message struck a chord with some well-known figures in space travel. Gene Cernan (the last man to walk on the moon) and Bob Crippen (the first Space Shuttle pilot) are among the signatories of an open letter supporting Mitt's space stance and his bid for the presidency.
"Restoring the U.S. space program to greatness will require the leadership, management skill, and commitment to American exceptionalism possessed by only one candidate in this race: Mitt Romney," reads the letter. "We support Mitt's candidacy and believe that his approach to space policy will produce results instead of empty promises."
Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich's recently announced plan to build a colony on the Moon by "the end of (his) second term," (a statement ambitious on two fronts) has become the subject of much discussion (and some ridicule). Gingrich evoked John F. Kennedy and the Apollo Project when defending his plan during a pre-Florida debate:
"Look at what John F. Kennedy said in 1961: 'We will go to the moon in this decade,'" said Gingrich. "No American had orbited the Earth. The technology didn't exist. And a generation of young people went into science and engineering, and they were tremendously excited. And they had a future. The program I envision would probably end up being 90% private sector, but it would be based on a desire to get NASA out of the business of trying to run rockets, and to create a system where it's easy for private sector people to be engaged. I want to see us move from one launch occasionally to 6 or 7 launches a day because so many private enterprises walk up and say, we're prepared to go do it."
But, like Romney, Newt believes America should give more incentives to the private sector of space travel, including "prizes" as incentives.
Newt's space race aside, where's his heart on other tech issues?
Gingrich, like the other candidates, came down against SOPA. "If a company finds that it has genuinely been infringed upon it has the right to sue," said Newt during a recent debate, "but the idea that we're going to preemptively have the government start censoring the Internet on behalf of giant corporations' economic interests strikes me as exactly the wrong thing to do."
In a 2003 book, Newt advocated increased math and science education and increased funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Cybersecurity is also on Newt's radar, and he said during a recent CNN Foreign Policy debate that he's worried that it's "something that we do not talk enough about."
Ron Paul
The Texas Republican Representative has a strong, focused online following. But does that mean he's pro-tech?
Overall, Paul opposes attempts by the Federal government to exercise more control over the Internet, and he's particularly concerned with Internet privacy.
The federal government has no right tracking who uses the Internet and why they are doing so," said Paul in a 2008 interview.
As a Libertarian and vocal proponent of freedom of speech, opposition to SOPA and PIPA were natural for Paul. Paul was the first of the presidential hopefuls to acknowledge and take a stance on SOPA.
"They want to take over the Internet," said Paul in reference to the legislation.
Paul has argued in favor of free-market, non-government solutions to providing high-speed Internet access to more Americans. "I believe that this can be best accomplished through deregulation and allowing the free market to work, said Paul. "Federal grants and subsidies will only elevate certain providers while holding back others."
Paul is against network neutrality. In 2006, Rep. Ron Paul voted against an amendment to the Communications, Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act which would have included network neutrality in the bill. Network neutrality is the idea that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should treat all Internet users (and traffic) as equal. Proponents of the idea argue that it's how the Internet has always worked, while detractors argue that government regulation of the Internet would drive up costs.
Paul feels that increased regulations (like enforced net neutrality) on ISPs would decrease competition and consumer choice.
"The best way to address the concerns of proponents of Net neutrality is to remove government-imposed barriers to entry into the Internet provider market," said Paul in 2008.
And what of Paul's plans for outer space? He voted in favor of a bill that promoted the commercialization of space travel and exploration, while he has also warned of the danger of militarizing space.
Rick Santorum
Like the rest of the candidates, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum came out in opposition to SOPA. However, he was the least repulsed by the legislation's goals:
"The Internet is not a free zone where anybody can do anything they want to do," said Santorum during a Republican debate before the South Carolina primary. "I'm for freedom but I'm not for people abusing the law, and that's what's happening right now."
In 1996, Santorum voted in the affirmative on deregulation of the telecommunications industry.
Finally, Rick Santorum lambasted Gingrich's space plans, stressing instead the need to address economic problems in the U.S.
"The idea that anybody's going out and talking about brand new, very expensive schemes to spend more money at a time when we do not have our fiscal house in order in my opinion is playing crass politics and not being realistic with the people of this country as to the nature and gravity of the problem," said Santorum.
To Boldly Go…To The White House
Perhaps as a result of SOPA and PIPA, the tech community is becoming more engaged with the world of politics. As technology becomes more and more a part of everyday life for Americans, the candidates can be expected to address tech issues more frequently as Election Day looms nearer.
Keep following Mashable for the latest on any tech policy-related announcements made by the presidential contenders.
Which candidate do you think is the most "tech-friendly?" Let us know in the comments below.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, sjlocke; Flickr, Matt Ortega, World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, Gage Skidmore
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