On tech issues, Obama falls short of high expectations

He was the embodiment of the modern, high-tech president when he took office: the first to fully harness the Internet to build a political movement, the first commander in chief to carry a BlackBerry, the first to promise to instill Silicon Valley sensibilities in the federal bureaucracy. However, halfway through President Barack Obama's first term, he has yet to deliver on much of his sweeping tech agenda, tempering the high expectations many in the industry had when he took office.

A research and development tax credit that candidate Obama pledged to make permanent lapsed at the end of last year and remains dormant. Legislation to invest in basic research and math and science education is bottled up in Congress. And while the federal stimulus bill directed tens of billions of dollars to clean energy, health IT and broadband deployment -- money long sought by the tech sector -- Obama has disappointed the industry in critical areas such as tax policy and trade. It's not that the president has abandoned his positions on key issues or doesn't appreciate technology and innovation, industry representatives say.

On issues such as cleantech and broadband, he's done more in two years, some of them argue, than his predecessor, George W. Bush, did in two terms. But there is still a palpable sense of disappointment. The recurring complaint is that the administration so far hasn't prioritized tech issues or devoted the time or energy to surmount resistance in Congress. And that resistance is certain to grow stronger after the Republican takeover of the House of Representatives, especially to any tech proposals that require more federal dollars.