Politicians are taking an intense interest in the new economy because they're trying to figure out how to make it work for the folks they represent. The political system hasn't served us well in this area. The biggest limitation on new economy growth is finding talented, knowledgeable workers. Education is the heartfelt priority of every technology executive I've met. They know if we don't have equal educational opportunity, we're going to rip apart the social fabric that makes democracy vibrant.
Silicon Valley is a meritocracy, where people get ahead based on the power of their ideas.
But the public education system is failing them. The culture of Silicon Valley is known for being fast, informal, and largely opportunity-driven. The political process is deliberative, consensus-driven, and often motivated by concerns that seem arcane. I'm not here to re-architect the political system, but I'm a big fan of representative democracy. Our elected officials have hard jobs to do, and I want to figure out how to work with them effectively.