Realizing the new economy and how it transcends government is paramount to the successful ending of the US financial crisis. Recently while waiting for an airplane I was struck by the changing balance of the printed word delivery…paper based vs. electronic based. I observed almost a 50 / 50 split between newspaper readers and tablet readers. Interestingly the paper readers were again evenly split between the USA Today Readers who received it in front of their door at the hotel and the New York Times, Washington Post readers who buy from the airport kiosk. The revenue model, the one of newspaper delivery and the printed word on paper in logistically cost prohibitive in comparison to the electronic delivery to tablets priced as low as $49.
Let’s now transfer that concept to government. This should be our next step, our next innovation and our next wave. Would it not be better to provide our less fortunate citizens with electronic secure tablets that can be the delivery mechanism for payments, news, health information and opportunity? These secure US made devices could and should help to create a useful and dynamically growing community of the “new” entitled. Electronically savvy, with services easily managed and delivered. This concept of adding to an already cell phone reliant society will and could create a learned group of electronically aware citizens with an awareness unlike any other group in the world.
To heck with the digital divide, to heck with the Government Printing Office, to heck with the reams of paper. Tablets for all!
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