Engine, a startup lobbying shop, carefully examined where candidates stand on tech issues such as privacy, net neutrality, and patent reform and ranked the leading candidates. After grading the candidates on four policy topics, Democrat Hillary Clinton received the highest overall score, earning a B+. Her challenger, Bernie Sanders, received a B overall, while Republican candidates scored much lower: Marco Rubio and John Kasich both received a C+, a D for Ted Cruz, and Donald Trump scored straight F’s.
In the first category, candidates were ranked on “privacy and security” based on whether they understand the importance of encryption and support privacy and surveillance laws. Sanders is the only candidate who was lenient when asked about Edward Snowden, thus receiving a B. Both he and Clinton (B+) have a “relatively nuanced approach” to the encryption issue. Trump (F), Kasich (C-), and Cruz (C) all made statements displaying little understanding of what encryption is and the role in protecting user safety and security. Rubio received a D for his promises to double down on NSA surveillance.
The second category ranked for “intellectual property” and focused on patent reform. Clinton, Kasich, and Trump all received an “incomplete,” as they haven’t made any statements on the issue. Sanders and Rubio both got a B because they voted for the 2011 America Invents Act, a small change tech advocates consider to be in the right direction. Cruz voted against the most recent patent reform, earning him an F.
Rankings for the third category, “education, talent, and the workforce,” covered three vast areas of strategy, including changes to immigration policy. Rubio earned himself an A as he supported more high-skilled immigration, although his record on “comprehensive” immigration is mixed. Sanders received a D+ for his “opposition to the U.S. attracting and retaining global talent” and for his serious issues with Uber. Trump got himself another F for saying nothing positive about immigration and being silent on education issues. Clinton received a B+, Kasich a B-, and Cruz a C-.
The last category rated how the candidates stand on “broadband and infrastructure” as well as net neutrality. The two Democratic candidates supported both and received A’s. But on the other side, Cruz got a D-, Rubio a D, and Trump an F, all opposing net neutrality; Cruz even referred to it as “Obamacare for the Internet.” Kasich earned a B, because although he wasn’t involved in the net neutrality debate as governor of Ohio, he supported efforts to “build and expand advanced fiber networks.”
What are your thoughts on the significance of how little the 2016 candidates seem to know or be concerned with technology issues?
Source: Ars Technica
Advertisement
Learn more about Electronic Products Magazine
