Join the Debate - Soundview Innovation Cell

Online with Caryn McBride

It is down the wire in the race for the White House and many people are still debating the merits, qualifications and agendas of Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama. Regardless of which candidate takes office in January, one thing is certain: Our next president will shoulder a tremendous responsibility to get our nation back on track, financially and otherwise. The most pressing issue is the economy. Wall Street woes aside, the nations debt is estimated to swell by $2.3 trillion by 2018.

What does this mean for your business?

To find out, the Business Journal teamed up with Keith Reynolds, vice president of business development at Defentect in Norwalk, who heads up the Soundview Innovation Cell. The cell is a local networking group of the Connecticut Growth Network, which is a program of The Connecticut Technology Council.

Reynolds (aka Joe the technology entrepreneur) invited the Business Journal to moderate a debate Which Party and Candidate Is Best for Our Regional Technology Industries? Oct. 21 at the Stamford Marriott.

The event was attended by members of the Soundview Innovation Cell, who meet monthly to network and discuss issues, mostly tech-related. A number of topics were raised, including a potential energy crisis, health care policies, regressive taxes, tech growth and government bailouts. Overall, we sensed a bit of disenchantment among the group regarding both presidential candidates leadership qualities.

Following are some questions, comments and observations from the debate:

If unemployment numbers hit double-digits, who do you want giving the fireside chat? (Responses ranged from Jack Welch to Is that a clean-coal fire?

Should we share the wealth? (Unanimous: No.)

I dont think either one can lead.

On keeping government out of our business: Our economy is better than the rest of the world I can hire who I want I can invest in who I want to invest in

Whos on Twitter? U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays is; McCain probably isnt. (Cmon! Its a free online social networking service.)

But, who will be the better leader? Mr. Obama or Mr. McCain? Whos got what it takes to fix the economy? Who can talk the talk and walk the walk all the way into the White House?

Category:

News & Politics

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• Soundview
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• Obama
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• election
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• technology