The difference is that the disruption in services will not be limited to telecommunications and will be both far more serious and far more protracted than this episode. Incredibly, the Clinton Administration has yet to address forthrightly with the American people this looming disaster. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that President Clinton and Vice President Gore have not deigned to address the Y2K in public, perhaps for political reasons. Increase defense funding to speed up compliance. Create Y2K compliance penalties and incentives for key federal agencies.
Time is short.
One possible explanation for the Administration's lack of public warnings about the Y2K crisis is the Democratic Party's evident strategy for the mid-term elections of running on peace and prosperity. Lest fears that both might be jeopardized by official alarms concerning the Year 2000 problem, the Clinton team may be hoping to postpone until after 3 November dissemination of the sort of information about the Millennium bug that will frighten the public. The Center's publications are intended to invigorate and enrich the debate on foreign policy and defense issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of all members of the Center's Board of Advisors.