Open Source Advice for the next President of the United States - Part I
Brian Gentile
It’s November 3, and I (like so many other Americans and others
around the world) breathlessly await the results of tomorrow’s U.S. Presidential
election. Regardless of your party affiliation, political ideals, or social leanings, you must
acknowledge the historical significance of this election. Americans will elect either the first
African American President or the first female Vice President. Most importantly, perhaps,
U.S. citizens will appoint a leader who will inherit so much of what has gone right and wrong with
American politics, foreign relations, economic policy, market regulation, and the very gravitas of the
sole, remaining Superpower. What do you think? Will America once again find its mojo under the
inspired leadership of either John McCain or Barack Obama? We’ll see.
In the meantime,
I’ve thought long and hard about some specific advice for America’s next president. And,
I’ve decided to collect these thoughts under an “open source” banner, believing that
building community, transparency and more rapid advancement is not only good for software products, but
for nation-building as well. So, here goes – my advice for the next President of the
United States . . .
Fix the U.S. economy.
It’s true that the global economy is more intricately connected now than ever. But, as
President, your first responsibility is to get America back on its economic track. Remember
that, at more than an estimated $14 trillion in 2008, the U.S. GDP still represents nearly 25% of the
global GDP. So, in many ways, as the U.S. economy goes, so goes that of the world. Overcoming
the current financial markets collapse, getting people back to work, and moderating spiraling prices in
staples (such as energy, food) and other expenses (healthcare) should be top-priority. Don’t
waste any time here. Appoint to Cabinet positions the nation’s best and brightest to craft
creative solutions and track their progress until GDP is growing 4% annually.
Build the Global
Community. There is no telling how much foreign relations
ground we’ve lost in the past decade or more. But, as President, you must focus on the future
– and re-building America’s standing among all nations will likely be your greatest, enduring
challenge. In open source software, our existence is owed to building strong community and so
I urge you to remember that building great community means to first be a great community
member. To do so may mean letting go of some of the pride and proprietary thinking that has
plagued many of your predecessors. Embracing a new level of transparency in policy and chivalry in
character will serve you and your country well in reaching out anew to a world that deserves and wants a
respectful role model.
While the world is a global village, there is a domestic aspect to building
community. Technology has penetrated so many facets of our
lives and has had a profound impact on the "flattening" of economies around the world. Yet, the U.S. government and its leaders have not integrated
into their work what we in the technology call “Web 2.0”. Can you imagine a world where
citizens and leaders at all levels could communicate openly in online forums made possible with open
source software? I would call this “OneWorldForge” and the implications for governance
are profound. As President, you can lead this online change and build the world’s largest and
strongest community, starting with the United States as the example.
