September
- October 2001
IEEE
Election Underway; IEEE-USA Candidates Speak Out
| Candidates
for IEEE-USA President-Elect, 2002 |
Candidates
for IEEE-USA Member-at-Large, 2002-2003 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Jim
V. Leonard |
Joe
Lillie |
Leann
Kostek |
Gary
Johson |
The 2001 IEEE Annual
Election is underway. In the September
issue of IEEE-USA News & Views, the two candidates for
IEEE-USA President-Elect, 2002, and the two candidates for IEEE-USA
Member-at-Large, 2002-2003, were asked to respond to the following
question:
"In the
areas of national defense (i.e., the proposed missile defense system),
electric power supply, and electronic voting, engineers are
participating and developing technical solutions. What role should
electrotechnical professionals — and IEEE-USA
— have in determining
policy?"
Following are the
candidates responses:
Jim
V. Leonard
Candidate for IEEE-USA President-Elect, 2002
1. Missile
defense system: As electrotechnical professionals, we first have a
responsibility to be highly trained and current in our respective
fields, so that a technically excellent missile defense system will be
produced under U.S. government direction. As IEEE members, we have the
resources of the Educational Activities Board (EAB) and IEEE-USA to
help us. Also, as volunteers of IEEE-USA, we have a forum within the
Technology Policy Council (TPC) to voice our opinion — and it should
be a strong opinion — to Congress and the Administration in
regard to
proposing a policy for the deployment of the missile defense system.
And, as a part of the American Association of Engineering Societies (AAES),
we form a very large group of voting advocates. We should use the
electronic communications capability (e-mail and IEEE-USA Today's
Engineer webzine, for example), along with our magapaper, IEEE-USA
News and Views, to solicit our members' opinions. We should then
proceed to prepare a position paper based on a mutually agreed to
policy, and submit it to both Congress and the Administration. The
Congressional Advocacy Recruitment Effort (CARE) network, developed during
the IEEE-USA Workshop in Tampa this year, will be especially useful in
this endeavor.
2. Electric power
supply: We have seen the results of a flawed energy policy in
California. As electrotechnical professionals working in the electric
power generation and distribution field, we must all consider being or
becoming registered Professional Engineers, in the interest of public
safety. Secondly, we must look at the environment when designing a
power plant (coal-fired, hydro or nuclear). We have a strong role in
determining policy in this area. The collective intelligence of
IEEE-USA professionals must be utilized to define a policy (and
document it in a position paper) that will provide reliable, safe and
available electrical energy to all U. S. citizens, with a minimum of
harm to the environment.
3. Electronic
voting: Again, we must learn from our past mistakes - Florida.
Electronic voting is a reality today. All U.S. citizens have the right
to vote, and to expect their vote to count. It is up to us, the
electrotechnical professionals, to develop a reliable and secure
voting "machine." It is also our role to define a policy
that will ensure that this system is implemented throughout these 50
states. [top]
Joe
Lillie
Candidate for IEEE-USA President-Elect, 2002
The IEEE-USA mission
is "to recommend policies and implement programs specifically
intended to serve and benefit the members, the profession, and the
public in the United States in appropriate professional areas of
economic, ethical, legislative, social, and technology policy
concern."
Bearing this mission
in mind, IEEE-USA should recommend that our more than 230,000 U.S. members
support the efficient development and deployment of an effective
missile defense system as part of our defense policy options.
Relative to the
supply of electric power, we should promote alternative energy
sources, while at the same time encourage the continued development of
improved uses of fossil fuel and a measured expansion of our nation's
safe nuclear generation capabilities. If the current deregulation
trends continue, we must also focus on the transmission system and
develop policy to promote improvements in the current transmission
management procedures.
IEEE-USA should and
must assume a leadership role in the area of electronic voting by
moving toward an electronic voting system, first in IEEE-USA, and then
in all IEEE elections. In this manner, we can use our own expertise
and experiences to develop and recommend policy and procedures that
will improve voting and election accuracy on the local, state and
national levels. [top]
Leann
Kostek
Candidate for
IEEE-USA Member-at-Large, 2002-2003
It is essential that
electrotechnology professionals are involved in setting policy. Many
of our elected leaders and the public at large are not technically
savvy. The question is how to become involved. As technical
professionals, we often understand the technical issues behind some of
today's pressing issues — the energy crisis, national missile defense
and airport congestion.
As an energy
professional, I've been asked by many people what the real problem is.
I spend the time to explain the issue in layman's terms, so that they
can better understand the problem. This way is the easiest that
someone can be involved. Explaining complicated problems to our
neighbors, parents at the PTA, and church members can go a long way in
helping the general public understand the complexities of today's
issues.
The second way to
become involved is by contacting your Senator or
Representative, either at the national or local level. You say,
"that's not for me." It is scary the first time you call on
a member of Congress. Remember, before they left for Washington, they
were working like us. The best way to make personal contact is to make
an appointment at their local office. They are typically home over the
weekends and longer during congressional breaks. If face to face is
not your style, then try writing a letter.
You do not know what
to say? IEEE-USA can help. On its web site, it offers an easy
point-and-click letter you can send. You just need to include your
home address. The database ensures the correct congressional member
will receive the letter.
IEEE-USA needs to
continue to play an integral role. Through the work of the tech policy
committees, made up of U.S. IEEE members interested in defining and
explaining the issues, IEEE-USA is viewed as an unbiased voice on
technical issues. The Congressional Fellows program and the WISE
program offer engineers and students the opportunity to be involved in
the political process. In today's political environment, it is
critical that the voice of the electrotechnology professional is not
drowned out by wealthy, self-promoting special interests. IEEE-USA is
your VOICE. [top]
Gary
Johnson
Candidate for IEEE-USA Member-at-Large, 2002-2003
IEEE-USA should
educate our government officials in all matters of electrotechnical
issues affecting national policy. We should provide information
evaluating various proposals, so that our government representatives
can make better and more informed choices. However, we should not
expound policy positions directly.
Since our two-party
system of government supports opposing views, our role should be
limited to assisting bipartisan decision making, based on technology
and science, rather than ideology. Currently, our membership may be
divided on policy issue statements from IEEE-USA based on ideology,
either their own or the organization's. Remember that there is seldom
100 percent agreement on any scientific issues among the various
researchers.
Rather than take the
risk of being strictly associated with one party, we must focus on
educating members of Congress on the issues and possible solutions.
This approach alleviates concern as to which party controls Congress
and more specifically whether IEEE-USA can influence the controlling
party. Recall President Bush's decision earlier this year to end the
American Bar Association's (ABA) special role in the judicial election
process, because he considered the ABA too liberally biased.
Only in such an
educational and technical resource role can we, as a unified body of
industry and academic experts, gain credibility in the government.
This dream will be realized when policy makers, specifically their
aides, would seek the IEEE-USA's advice. [top]
Additional IEEE
Election Coverage
- This summer, the candidates for IEEE
President-Elect, 2002, met in Philadelphia to square off for a
sectional debate. The IEEE Philadelphia Section Almanack was
there to cover the proceedings and offers a complete
transcript online.
- Don't miss the
coverage of the IEEE Election in the September issue of the IEEE
Institute.
Candidates
responses reprinted from IEEE-USA
News & Views, September 2001, with permission from IEEE-USA.
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