1.	From Indonesia to Singapore, India, even the Middle East, economies are transforming around the Web. If US leadership in freedom is lacking, perhaps the ball will be picked up by other countries? You can't have an Internet economy without lots of things, peace, clean air, a good education system, and yes, I think free speech and funcitonal, participatory democracy will be a competitive advantage.
2.	My inner-skeptic speaks up. Hey Dave, don't y'all have free speech? Yes, perhaps. But are we any good at it? In the US we've gotten soft, so mushy with communication, we're no good at listening, we've given up, so maybe the opportunity to grow thru the Web will be elsewhere in the world? Or in the world at large? Maybe no single country will own the Web? Hey we're the ones with the screwed up Patent Office.
3.	Free speech is meaningless if you don't know how to exercise it.
4.	http://mccainsnavy.editthispage.com/