In an era where technology shapes every aspect of our lives, from the smartphones in our pockets to the algorithms determining our news feeds, America faces a critical crossroads. We’re sprinting into a digital future, but our government’s oversight of technology remains stuck in the analog age. It’s time for a radical shift: we need elected technology leaders for a dedicated department of technology at the state, county, and local levels, and we needed them yesterday.

The Transparency Crisis

Imagine a world where every tax dollar spent, every government contract awarded, and every policy decision made is instantly visible to the public. This isn’t a utopian fantasy—it’s a technological reality waiting to be implemented. But who will champion this cause? Certainly not appointed bureaucrats comfortable in their unaccountable positions.

Enter the elected technology leader: a digital sentinel answering directly to you, the voter. These tech-savvy officials would be your eyes and ears in the labyrinth of government agencies, ensuring that technology serves the people, not hidden agendas.

Every state, county, and municipality would have their own department of technology, headed by a tech leader, voted in by the voters. Just like we have an elected attorney general at the state level, and elected district attorneys for the county and local levels. Creating checks and balances on each other and other government agencies, politicians, and government employees.

From Blockchain to Boardrooms: A Tech Revolution in Governance

Picture this: blockchain technology tracking political donations in real-time, AI systems flagging potential fraud in government spending, and user-friendly portals allowing you to trace the journey of your tax dollars from your wallet to their final destination. These aren’t futuristic concepts—they’re tools we can implement today, tools that elected tech leaders would be mandated to deploy across all levels of government.

But the impact goes beyond just cool tech. An elected Secretary of Technology at state, county, and municipal levels would be the public’s advocate in the technology age of AI, robotics, and Internet of Things. They’d ensure that the AI deciding your loan application isn’t biased, that the smart traffic lights in your city actually reduce congestion, and that your personal data isn’t being sold to the highest bidder.

The Ethics Imperative

As AI and data-driven systems increasingly steer public policy, who’s making sure these digital decision-makers aren’t harboring the biases of their human creators? Elected tech leaders would stand guard, auditing algorithms, enforcing privacy rights, and ensuring that the march of progress doesn’t trample individual liberties.

This isn’t just about preventing dystopian scenarios—it’s about actively shaping a future where technology amplifies democratic values rather than undermining them.

A Call to Tech Arms

The creation of a federal Department of Technology, as proposed by me at the Department of Technology located online at http://www.department.technology, is a crucial step. But it’s not enough. We need a network of elected tech leaders forming a technology web of accountability across every level of government.

These aren’t just administrative positions—they’re the frontline defenders of democracy in the digital age. They’re the key to ensuring that as America innovates, it doesn’t leave its core values behind.

The question isn’t whether we can afford to create these positions. The real question is: can we afford not to? In an age where lines of code can impact lives as much as lines of legislation, having tech-savvy, accountable leaders isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.

Our shared peace and prosperity future is technological, and our democracy must evolve to meet it. Elected technology leaders are more than just a good idea—they’re our best hope for a transparent, accountable, and truly modern government. The time to act is now. Our technology democracy depends on it.

Visit our Department of Technology at www.department.technology to learn more!