Showing posts with label Brad Feld. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brad Feld. Show all posts

Friday, July 30, 2010

Maloney: Stifling Debate, Stifling Innovation, Stifling Job Creation

Kim Jong-ilImage via Wikipedia
I was never sadder about Carolyn Maloney's refusal to engage Reshma Saujani in weekly debates than when I showed up for this clean tech event: A Clean Tech Experience.

Before that I wanted the debates to happen because I wanted the world - District 14 - to see my wonderful, wonderful candidate. (Debating Is "Stunt" In A Maloney Democracy) My interests were political, and yes I had my preferred candidate. I was not hiding that.

Debates get you media attention, some name recognition, there are follow up articles in newspapers, there is buzz in social media.

It was also about democracy. I am a veteran of the democracy movement in Nepal. I appreciate democracy like many people living in democracies don't.

Sergey Brin's Is The Right Stand
News: July 17 (2)
To Iran, With Love (3)
To Iran, With Love (2)
To Iran, With Love (1)
To: Brad Feld, Subject: Iran And Me (Digital Ninja/Commando)
Happy July 4 Fred Wilson, Brad Feld

Debating is so very fundamental to democracy. Debates are a democracy's lifeblood. That's what happens in Congress, the ultimate temple of democracy. Members debate. No debate means no democracy. It is as if Carolyn Maloney wants to be declared dictator for life, the Kim Jong-Il of the East Side.

But at the clean tech event I realized the need for Carolyn Maloney, Reshma Saujani debates had much more concrete implications for the future of this city and this country and this world. This goes way beyond the politics of one congressional race.

Unless competing politicians like Carolyn Maloney and Reshma Saujani debate specifically about esoteric topics like clean tech and bio tech and nano tech, the electorate is not going to be part of conversations they so need to be part of if the jobs of tomorrow are ever going to be created. China is already eating America's clean tech lunch. If Maloney has her way, America never ever even gets to the lunch table. This so far has not been a choice between lunch and a late lunch. So far it has been a choice between a late lunch and no lunch at all. Thanks to Maloney the no lunch side has been winning so far in District 14 of New York.

We need Maloney out of there if we are going to be able to dream up the jobs, companies and industries of tomorrow.

Companies From The Clean Tech Event
  • Rentricity Inc. 
  • MJ Beck Consulting
  • Sollega
  • The New York City Accelerator for a Clean and Renewable Economy (NYC`ACRE)
  • Pharos Enterprise Intelligence
  • Bodega Algae
  • US Power Generating Company ("USPowerGen")
  • Efficiency 2.0
  • Think Eco, Inc. 
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