Technology May Play Key Role in Obama Infrastructure Plan

Much of Obama's technology plan incorporates high-level goals, but seems to skimp on details for how these things will be achieved. So what should CIOs be looking forward to? One of the first roadblocks Obama may discover is a surprising lack of basic technology and connectivity. John Dankowski, a 25 year veteran of the White house says, "Looking at how tech-savvy the campaign was, there's going to be a natural expectation ... that infrastructures need to be in place, that IT should work, and I think [the Obama administration] may be in for some unexpected findings when they see there's not quite enough infrastructure, at least not quite as much as is needed." Obama has championed reforming the Universal Service Fund to expand broadband to rural areas. This move underpins almost every other technology initiative he's proposed, from more transparent government to reinvigorating student interest in math and science. But Dankowski said he isn't sure that will be immediately feasible given the economic situation. Instead of working on broadband rollouts, Dankowski predicts Obama will first try to use technology to help right the nation's fiscal ship. John Skowron, a federal and state consultant at Deloitte, said he sees Obama's broadband initiative as part of a larger infrastructure improvement project, a la President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. Only this time, the government will hire as many people to lay fiber as pour concrete.