A little preview. Just three things. 1. We need a Chief Technology and Science officer that would be a cabinet-level position. 2. We need to move away from a computer for every kid and toward an iPhone-level device for every kid. 3. We need a museum for science and technology. - Robert Scoble

@Robert: Agree with all three of your assessments, though the Smithsonian is doing a decent job on number 3. - Chris Reed

Wouldn't the CTO and CSO be separate positions. There's overlap, sure. But there's also overlap with nearly every other cabinet seat for both those roles. - John Frost

I utterly disagree with the "iPhone level device" for every kid. I'm a parent - *I* get to decide when I have to pay cell usage rates for my child and she has the abililty to text every other child in known creation - not you or the govt. She's had her own computer since before she could walk - but I configure her access and am in the room when she's using it. No way she's getting a mobile device w/o parental supervision until I say she's ready. - Lucretia Pruitt

Scoble makes one trip to Washington and now he's running for Mayor of Tech Town. - Tim Moore

What Aaron said. liaisons between washington and the web might be a better way to think- 'agenda' is too policy driven and I'm not sure policy is what is needed here. education maybe. - Erin @queenofspain

Aaron: actually this request came from a Republican congressman, who told me he had no one at the Whitehouse to talk to about technology issues. Yes, I know it's an Obama issue, too, but it's far broader than Obama. Regarding a museum, I'll explain why that's important in my blog later today. - Robert Scoble

We are also 15 years away from having every kid have a portable Internet-enabled device like an iPhone. - Robert Scoble

#1 I agree, but I think it should extend down further than that. They need to really have a good idea of what's going on, what's coming, and what's working (as much as they can). And I feel like s/he's going to have to spend a lot of time with people in the industry. They can't just sit in a glass box in Wash. - Sam Dodge

#2 I think I see where you're going with the "handheld, mobile, smart device", but like Lucretia, I think it'll be a tough fight to realize the ideals. I'd be more ready to spend the money on educating teachers and professors. Too often have I been in situations or heard of people being lightyears ahead knowledge-wise from the people who are supposed to be the resident experts. I've ended up using people like you as almost adjunct professors to help me learn about the tech industry and what's possible. - Sam Dodge

My gut reaction to #2 is: What age are "kids" and what will they do with these iPhones exactly? To say we're 15 years away also implies that this technology will be relevant then. Is that possible to predict at this point? Just honestly what I'm thinking about, but don't get me wrong. I'm ecstatic that Scoble has had this kind of impact and presence within our gov't. Way to go! Nice. - Chris Bonney

#1 included in the Chief Tech and Science Officer role should be appointment of a National Community Liaison whose staff could monitor/respond to conversation and sentiment in various social networks-- inside and outside of the US. Something on the order of terrorist surveillance, but for non-terrorists-- without, of course, getting creepy and listening to private conversations, etc. The goal would be to engage in the dialogue/get questions answered. - Susan Scrupski

"Technology agenda for the USA"? What are you, running for office after your trip to D.C.? ;-) - Josh Bancroft

What would the CTO do? What power would they have? Whose budget would they control? Would they be able to change the spending and acquisitions of CIO elsewhere in the Government? If you don't have good answers for those Robert, you're just creating more useless and expensive government overhead. Creating a new position does nothing, you have to put the necessary powers and BUDGET under that position. Unless you control the budget within the government, you don't control NUTHIN. - Chris Stevenson

Would this mean jurisdiction of "the internet tubes" moves away from the FCC? I'd also say let the free market take care of every kid getting a mobile computer, they already have cellphones, those will be computers in time. - aphexddb

Have you ever been to the Smithsonian's Museum of Science and Industry? - Mathew Spolin

Sorry, but this is just ridiculous. Who is going to pay for this? This is more entitlement and stupid spending plan which is what our problem is now. What ever happened to WORKING for something? This sounds like another Obama/democrat plan to buy votes. - Spencer

my two cents http://www.winextra.com/2008... - Steven Hodson

SharePoint? *ducks* - Dan Russell from twhirl

It's got to be someone who's better at politics than technology. I hope it's not a Silicon Valley insider, cause that would just further cement the idea that they know what they're doing. Probably someone from academia like Lessig or John Palfrey from Harvard, someone who's immersed themselves in tech from a government policy standpoint. Palfrey would probably be the better bet. (Lessig is probably viewed as too radical, not acceptable to Hollywood.) - Dave Winer

I'm assuming of course that the next President is a Democrat. One thing I learned in trying to get a blogger cred at the convention, every choice they make has to make 24 different constituencies happy or at least okay with it. That's why they have an American Indian blogger, one from Guam, a gay-lesbian blogger, etc. Since the Dems are heavy on entertainment and tech, the CTO is going to have to be OK with both Hollywood and Sunnyvale. - Dave Winer

The US Government is more siloed than any massive corporation I can think of so if the goal is to impact the use of tech in governing its not going to get it done. If it is merely to advise the President on science and tech issues I am not sure what consolidating the roles that industry specific advisers already perform into one person will help. I would be very uncomfortable with the power to push tech policy being concentrated in one person's hands at a cabinet level - let the market do it. - Marco(aureliusmaximus)

I'll be happy to have a president who doesn't view science with suspicion. It might be too much to hope for a pres who allows rational thought to guide policy though... - Tad, Anti-Immanentizer from fftogo

I'm sorry Robert, but a statement like this makes me wonder what kind of world you see. An iPhone level device for every kid? Stop in a public school next year somewhere out of the range of the golden Valley and check out how many kids there are in special programs because they come from homes that aren't even able to provide BREAKFAST. - Ro (Lilyhill)

Roberta, I'm assuming that you support both the program that Scoble is talking about AND a way to help provide kids breakfast, right? - Tad, Anti-Immanentizer from fftogo

Roberta - that utopian 'iPhone level device for every kid' is actually what lost me. Technology is wonderful. Access to technology is wonderful. But first, the basic needs of all children take priority - food, clothing, a safe place to live, decent healthcare, education. The internet is incredible - but incredibly useless when you are starving, illiterate, and sick. - Lucretia Pruitt

Who is going to purchase said "iPhone like device" for these teens and who is paying the monthly fee? I am QUITE baffled by this very bold statement and still waiting for a response.... - Mona Nomura

I should watch more FastTV and Scoble Qik. But I'm old-skool. - john conroy

People are freaking out about "iPhone-level device," but I like the idea. Don't get hung up on the form factor. How about a Kindle instead? How cheap will those be in 10-15 years? How much money could schools save if all books and publications were electronically delivered and updated? What about the possibilities for distance learning? Or for parents to track the locations of their children? Or even offsetting the cost using advertising? - Karim

Again, who is going to pay for the devices and service? The state? Country? Bill and Melinda Gates foundation? Come ON people, let's be realistic here LOL - Mona Nomura

Bloody hell... here(s) what the root is for tech stuff learn to (a) write (b) count (c) speak.. make sure that happens first, then technology will take care of itself. SEcondly, make sure that the US grad students - stop outsourcing their assingments ie. their coding / writing /thesis etc to India !! SCrew this Iphone handheld device.. whats the point of a k/board , ifthey can't write a handwritten personal note of thanks.. , think of it.. !! - Peter Dawson

and while it ..make sure that the original pioneers of technology and geekiness are not treated like a terrorists . aka Kevin Minick case !! - Peter Dawson

Perhaps he meant a Nintendo DS like in Japan: http://www.reuters.com/article... - Mona Nomura