Obama 2.0

When I see America's future president using Web 2.0 technologies to create a Digg-like website, where users can post - and digg questions to the president elect, I begin to grasp just how much I look forward to the next administration. The idea is simple: Anyone can post a question to the site, and other (logged in) users can vote for questions of their interest. At the end of a round, the ten most popular (most votes) questions are selected, and answered by Obama and Biden themselves. Click Read More to find out the winners of round one. I can tell you this much: I am really interested in the answer to the top question!

Though I don't really find this an important issue, it will be interesting to see how Obama and friends react to the top hit:
1. "Will you consider legalizing marijuana so that the government can regulate it, tax it, put age limits on it, and create millions of new jobs and create a billion dollar industry right here in the U.S.?"

This one I find much more interesting, and hope a good answer is brought forth.
2. "What will you do as President to restore the Constitutional protections that have been subverted by the Bush Administration and how will you ensure that our system of checks and balances is renewed?"

Regarding the economy...
3. "What will you do to establish transparency and safeguards against waste with the rest of the Wall Street bailout money?"

...and research:
4. "Will you lift the ban on Stem Cell research in your first 100 days in office?"

America's schools are in desperate need of an "upgrade". Obama has already announced a major overhaul of the school system. Apart from improving the education system, this should also create more jobs. Maybe the answer to this question will give some more insight of what can be expected:
5. "What will you do to promote science and mathematics education to Elementary and Middle School students?"

One of my favorites, and a very provocative one for that matter: (Though I am pretty sure the answer will be along the lines: "It's time to move on.")
6. "Will you appoint a Special Prosecutor - ideally Patrick Fitzgerald - to independently investigate the gravest crimes of the Bush Administration, including torture and warrantless wiretapping?"

Back to weed on number 7:
7. "13 states have compassionate use programs for medial Marijuana, yet the federal gov't continues to prosecute sick and dying people. Isn't it time for the federal gov't to step out of the way and let doctors and families decide what is appropriate?"

An interesting question on sustainability at number 8. Never thought this would make the top 10.
8. "What do you plan to do to our food industry to make it more sustainable? Will there be changes to our farming policies?"

Looking forward to the answer of No. 9. I wonder if anything substantial is going to happen here:
9. "What will you do to end the use of mercenary forces (ie Blackwater) by our military?"

And finally, a question on the environment:
10. "What will you do first to reduce pollution/waste and incentivize greener behavior across the country?"

So all in all, a very broad range of topics in the top 10 (though weed did make it twice). I'll keep you posted on the answers. I will now also provide you with a link to the page in question, now that you have read it here :-). The answers should make it to Obama's blog sometime soon. I, for one, pledge to take part in the next round!