Monthly Archive for November, 2008

The Future of Foresight under Obama

By Eric Meade | The Extreme Future | November 2008

A blog entry predicts that the new administration will have a new approach to the future and will revive the tradition of  government foresight.  It mentions several forward-looking programs from the 1970’s, including the Office of Technology Assessment, Congressional Clearinghouse on the Future, and a 1974 requirement of the House Select Committee on Committees that each standing committee undertake futures research and forecasting.

Congress Needs Tools of the Future to Save Past Gains

By Paul Light | Roll Call | November 20, 2008

An article about the threat to some of our country’s greatest achievements by a recent lack of investment in the infrastructure of government.    It makes three suggestions for the new Congress:  1) create a new office similar to the disbanded Office of Technology Assessment -perhaps the “Office of Long-Range Analysis,” 2) set in place updates to decisions to be “triggered” later by new information, and 3) find the courage to look into the future and tackle the issues coming at us.