AN ACTION PLAN FOR AMERICA: Using Technology and Innovation to Address Our Nation’s Critical Challenges

In a visionary blueprint for the use of technology and innovation, AN ACTION PLAN FOR AMERICA: Using Technology and Innovation to Address Our Nation’s Critical Challenges proposes that President-Elect Barack Obama take immediate action to connect the nation to broadband, which will unleash billions of dollars in economic development, create over a million jobs, enhance America’s global competitiveness, deliver superior health care and education, reduce energy consumption and environmental degradation, improve public safety and homeland security, and reinvigorate democracy. 

The Center for Creative Voices in Media was pleased to author this 62 page ACTION PLAN for The Benton Foundation. 

"On January 20, 2009, Americans will turn to President Barack Obama to make good on the promises he made during the 2008 election," said Charles Benton, Chairman, CEO and Trustee of the Benton Foundation. "One clear goal articulated by candidate Obama is that every American should have the highest speed broadband access - no matter where they live, or how much money they have. This goal is not achievable overnight nor with the simple stroke of a pen. However, President Obama can immediately exercise strong leadership to improve the competitiveness of the United States in the global economy by acting to craft a National Broadband Strategy." 

"In this time of economic hardship, the Obama Administration should undertake a concerted national effort to deploy universal, robust, open, and affordable broadband Internet access that will unleash billions of dollars of economic development and create over a million jobs," said ACTION PLAN author Jonathan Rintels, Executive Director of the Center for Creative Voices in Media. "The economic, social, and cultural benefits of this critical 21st century investment in broadband will vastly outweigh its cost, delivering better health care, education, energy conservation, homeland security, and government transparency for generations to come." 

The ACTION PLAN includes a draft Executive Order that President Obama should sign immediately upon taking office to establish and implement a National Broadband Strategy that will achieve the goal of universal, robust, open, and affordable broadband, as well as enhance our nation's global competitiveness, as quickly as possible. The ACTION PLAN builds on our work in last year's report, The Case for Universal Broadband in America: Now! 

Read more about the ACTION PLAN here.