F2C: Susan Crawford

I wrote about one of Susan Crawford's papers last week, so it's a pleasure to see her live.  David Isenberg has called this panel the once and future FCC chairman.  Since Reed Hunt was an FCC chairman, that's a strong endorsement for Susan.  Susan went first with a presentation entitled Journey, discussing how her thinking has evolved over the past two years.  Key thoughts

• Internet is not a supply chain
• Communications regulation should be about optimizing human communications
• "Deregulation" today is about increasing incumbents profits

Discussion today is short sighted.  Need long term view:

• Economic growth comes from new ideas
• The Internet - a source of new ideas; group forming attributes

Pictures will help -- shows some interesting graphs, especially ones suggesting that the US economy is falling behind China and India.  If the rate of economic growth in the US were increased by 0.5% over the next 45 years, it would solve all problems with baby boomers retirement.

Policy outcomes:

• Emphasis on universal service
• Big issues of competition (lack thereof)
• Divestiture?

What to do:

• We need pictures to make our argument (control freaks & law enforcement are supported by movies like Sandra Bullock in The Net)
• Serious leadership gap need people who are well-informed, deeply committed, visionary, able to convey hope)