Dems Reach For Star Power To Highlight Innovation Agenda.

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Author: Barrett, Randy

Politics

House Democrats today trumpeted movie-making legend George Lucas' endorsement of the party's innovation agenda. At a townhall-style event in the basement of the Capitol, Minority Leader Pelosi called Lucas a "major, magnificent disruptor" and held up his iconoclastic early career as a perfect example of American innovation, National Journal's Technology Daily reported. "Here is living proof that young people have always been at the forefront," Pelosi said. Lucas broke into the film industry as an outsider in the early 1970s and quickly rose to prominence through the monster box office successes of "American Graffiti" and the Star Wars series. He also started his own company, Industrial Light and Magic, to create and produce the revolutionary visual effects for his films. Lucas told the assembled group of college students that they were needed to fix the country's problems. "We tried but we screwed it up, and now it's up to you," Lucas said. "You are going to have to deal with it because it will be on your front door step."

The Democratic leadership is promoting its innovation agenda that calls for increased math and science education and renewed investment in basic research and development. Education and the Workforce ranking member George Miller, D-Calif., criticized President Bush's competitiveness plan for cutting college loans and other education programs. "We're disappointed because you can't do this by robbing Peter to pay Paul," he said. Lucas said college â€" at least at public universities â€" should be gratis: "We need a free higher education system in this country." Majority Leader John Boehner, however, questioned the minority's plan for strengthening the country's innovation and competitiveness. He called the minority's agenda a rehash of more government spending and federal involvement in the economy. "Even Hollywood's best filmmakers can't make these 'innovation' proposals look like anything other than a recycled package of more government bureaucracy followed by higher taxes on working families." He called on Democrats to join the GOP in helping small businesses, streamlining federal bureaucracy and helping create jobs.

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By Randy Barrett