In the span of six days, President Obama and Governor Brown gave their State of the Union and State of the State Addresses.

President Obama said “We must keep the promise of America alive.”  I agree.

Governor Brown proclaimed that “California’s best days are in front of us.”  No argument here.

But how can Silicon Valley help our State and Nation succeed, and what should we expect from the Governor and the President to grow the Innovation Economy?

In California, job one is jobs.  We need an education system that prepares our young people for Innovation Economy jobs. Yes, our unemployment rate hovers around 11 percent, but if you have a college degree in ANY subject, the unemployment rate is 4 percent; with an engineering degree, one percent. A great education for potential workers is key, but a great business climate for those creating jobs is equally key. Regulations that are understandable, streamlined, and cost-effective sends a message that California is open for business. The Governor’s new office of Business Development – Go BIZ – is a welcome step in the right direction.

 In America, it’s global competitiveness. We can never forget that 95 percent of the world’s customers are outside our borders. As we educate our students at home, we must also attract the best students from around the globe. After we educate them here, we need to keep them here, rather than forcing them home to compete against us. The President must also realize that competing in the 95 percent of the world outside the U.S. necessitates people, facilities and equipment in those countries in order to compete. Penalizing companies for competing globally hurts American companies and American workers.