Why Obama Needs to Emphasize Innovation

The financial crisis has left voters desperate for political leaders that will eschew traditional party divides and advocate policies that actually solve their problems. Barack Obama has styled himself as just such a leader. His rhetoric has inspired millions. But to build on his current lead in the polls, Obama must show how his message of hope and change will truly impact voters' lives.

Nowhere is that "change" theme more compelling than in the arena of scientific and technological innovation. Obama should do everything he can to direct the campaign conversation in that direction.

Such a discussion plays to Obama's political strengths. Because he's successfully branded himself as a youthful agent of change, Obama can talk about innovation with credibility, reminding voters that America is a place where anything is possible.

He already supports a number of innovative measures regarding energy, including calls for increased investment in renewable energy and federal funds for nuclear power.

Obama should also consider instituting tax credits for manufacturers of alternative energy technologies, like wind turbines. Such targeted support can help make these companies viable competitors of the coal, oil, and natural gas industries.

Obama also supports expanding the tax credits for hybrid automobiles, and implementing a 10-year, $150 billion investment program into energy efficient technologies. He can further bolster his innovation resume by promising to expand and extend tax credits for energy-efficient home appliances as well.

Such incentives will increase consumer demand in these industries, allowing for the creation of the green-collar jobs that Obama talks so passionately about.

These tax credits will also encourage entrepreneurs and firms of all sizes to invest in the development of new and better environmentally friendly goods. And as a bonus, private investment dollars will likely follow public ones into the newly lucrative markets for alternative-energy products.

While Obama's record and positions on innovation in energy are promising, he could do more to encourage innovation in health care. Almost daily, health and medical science are delivering remarkable gains for patients. Obama must devote more attention to the critical need for sustained research into new drugs, devices, and treatments.

To be sure, Senator Obama is right to bring attention to the high healthcare costs American patients face. But it's just as important to emphasize innovation as a necessary component of comprehensive healthcare reform.

American researchers and drug makers have already discovered ground-breaking treatments for once untreatable diseases like cancer, AIDS, and multiple sclerosis. Outright cures could be just around the corner. Medical innovation could not only extend and improve the lives of patients -- it could also help lower medical costs by reducing the need for expensive surgeries. Completely curing chronic diseases could also be far less expensive than managing them for years and years.

Obama should advocate policies that protect the incentives for medical innovation. That means strengthening patent protections and providing tax incentives for investment into promising new fields of research.

The pharmaceutical giant Pfizer recently announced it was redirecting research dollars away from saturated treatment markets, like cholesterol drugs, toward diseases that have gone under-addressed, like cancer, Alzheimer's, and diabetes. Increased federal support would encourage other firms to follow suit.

The American people are clearly ready for a conversation about innovation. A recent Fox News poll found that 73 percent of Americans disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job. Seventy-nine percent think we're headed down the wrong track.

With the election just days away, this popular discontent offers Obama a unique opportunity to dictate the debate in his favor, away from doom and gloom and toward the positive promises of scientific and technological innovation.

Douglas E. Schoen was a campaign consultant for more than 30 years and is the author of "Declaring Independence: The Beginning of the End of the Two-Party System."

Comments

[sfmama]

I have confidence in Obama's ability to shift our country's focus to these issues. And Joe Biden hit it on the head in the VP debate when he said that the US has to develop green technology and then export it. I think that is one of the only viable ways we can dig ourselves out of our economic abyss.

[SeanGardner]

Absolutely­...can't wait to see those GREEN JOBS.

[jeanrenoir]

More than anything else, Obama is the candidate from Silicon Valley. He crushed Hillary's arrogant fat-cat backers who thought they could buy her the election when he brought in his young IT geniuses and routed her bundlers with Net fund-raising. He's now destroying McCain and the Rovian slime machine (and Fox and Limbaugh) by the sheer weight of his TV ads, which he had always planned to bury his enemies with, because he always knew that his young IT geniuses could raise more money than even the RNC could dream of. THAT has been the Obama revolution. Obama has pulled off the real, American pragmatic, de facto campaign finance reform. From now on, every successful party will be forced to nominate a candidate capable of appealing to a passionate national base of small contributors. The fat cats are fiinished in American politics, and the lobbyists are now hobbled, because Obama has nothing to fear from either group, since he doesn't need their money. THIS is what really terrifies Obama's enemies, especially the neocons (who are toast anyway; the tiny handful of Republicans surviving Nov. 4 will boil the neocons in oil for their unexampled fiasco in Iraq). Special interest money has been the lubrication of American politics forever. No more. Not with a charismatic candidate like Obama and young IT geniuses making fools of passe rich "bundlers" and lobbyists. Yeah, expect Obama to be the best friend science and technology have ever had in the White House.

[JFaye]

Innovation through science and technology is an absolute must in not simply growing our economy but is key to bringing education back to the core of our success as a nation. I recall a speech Mr. Obama gave in Michigan (during primary) where he intimated jobs coming back to Michigan and places like Ohio will require job training because of new technology­... "new jobs." Certainly, I sense the new direction he will take our country will include a great amount of innovation in science and technology. This too will return America to a stronger position of leadership thoughout the global community.

With so much emphasis on "blank the Plumber" I would find some meaningful discussion on science and technology refreshing (No pun intended).

[rr52]

I write an environmental blog for my newpaper so I noticed the graph lines posted during debates that went to almost 100% positive among both the male and female voters when Obama talked about alternative energy. I was a little surprised because the men and women were tracking as polar opposites on a variety of subjects during the debate, but environmental issues topped out for both every time. Despite the cry "drill, baby, drill" and mysterious polls that say 70% of people want to drill for more oil, even though it will not help us for 10 years, the results of the polling during the last debates were the opposite reaction.

[brighterside]

Yes I agree with you here. Obama's plans are very innovative. Yet I don't think he markets his plan correctly. Where is the talk about entrepreneurial spirit and how some one can make the latest, greatest thing inside of their garage. Where is the mention of great men of technology such as Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and even Hewlett Packard? Yes Obama's plan is very innovative. But his pitch is to the wrong audience I think. But at least I think he knows where all of his policies will lead us.

[drut]

Ignoring science is a sure way to stop growth in all aspects of society. It would be nice to hear Obama acknowledge that scientists tend to be smart rational people who work hard and are pretty good at solving problems. What many scientists know is that when a society either stops scientific growth or diliutes both hard and social science with dogmatic misinformation (like intelligent design or abstienence only) that society begins to decline and will ultimately fail. The old Soviet Union relying on Lysenksoist evolution is just one example of this.

[flyingLungfish]

The Obama campaign should play up his endorsements from members of Scientists and Engineers for America.

[SAdelmann]

I would like to see Obama address this in his Inaugural Address. It should be a sweeping call to action - a concerted energy program - a challenge to America, like the Space Program was.

We need a large, common goal to galvanize the country after this divisive election. He should set it up to encourage citizen investment by allowing a check-off on income taxes for 1 to 100 shares at a buck apiece. This would allow all Americans to have an immediate stake.

Then he needs to clearly articulate HOW this is vital to our nation - like Eisenhowere did with the Interstate Highway system. This new emphasis would also encourage school-aged kids to study sience and math more diligently (as it di during the early years of our space program).

This is doable - and I want the new administration to hit the ground running.

[totaleclipse]

the last thing we need now is for anyone to bring up stem cell research in the campaign. as an excited obama supporter i am convinced that slow and steady wins the race. he has been slow but thorough in building a 50 state coalition of volunteers and staff members and has miraculously not alienated the middle of the road independents and liberal repubs. all obama really needs to do right now is continue on message and let the mccain campaign spiral into its death knells. i've been enjoying watching that train wreck.

[Shaddup]

Yes, oh yes. It would be wonderful to have a President that actually believes in science again. It's been a while...

[geoffdaily]

Great points except you're missing the biggest message of all: the need to invest in upgrading our telecommunications infrastructure that is arguably the greatest driver of innovation in the history of mankind.

We need Obama to stand up and wave the flag for setting the goal of a Full Fiber Nation where a fiber optic cable reaches every house in America.

By doing so he'll show that he gets what it takes to compete in the 21st century, he'll further his connection with young people, and he'll show how his vision for America isn't about restricting growth but instead embracing new growth from new industries.

Much more said on this can be found here: App-Rising.com

[robbie44]

I'm sure a president Obama wouldnt be afraid to throw on a lab coat.

[Unsui]

I agree. If Obama were to bring these issues to the forefront I think it would highlight another, significant, difference between himself and the Republican platform. Palin has had some missteps misrepresenting McCain's position on things like: stem cell research, a national ban on abortions and a federal gay marriage ban. She recently voiced supported for these, very unpopular, positions, in an interview with a conservative minister, because these are the positions in the Rebublican Party plank. It would behoove Obama to make McCain take an unambiguous stand on these issues because it would either, queer the middle for him, or queer the base (no pun intended).