American Innovation is Broken.

       Our founding fathers spawned a constitution that recognized and rewarded innovation. From the isolated plains of America, they gave birth to the great American innovation machine.  The machine has worked like the proverbial Swiss watch providing a seemingly timeless environment for the innovative capabilities of Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Thomas Watson and Benjamin Franklin to name a popular few. The American innovation machine has created more jobs and wealth than the combined totals of 50 other countries of the world. For two hundred thirty years, it has kept the correct time. We could always depend on the American initiative. Every President has told us so. From the building of a vast transportation system which was the best in the world, from JFK inspiring us to go to the moon, it has worked. But just like the Swiss watch the innovation machine has been passed by. The machine is broken.

       The last 40 years have witnessed an unprecedented decline in American innovation, often explained by characterizing the decline as a natural expansion of the global economy. In retrospect the decline is indisputably visible, but along the way the decline has been camouflaged by many other public policy matters. Scientists have concluded that the grand canyon was created by water weathering away rock, the evidence is indisputable. However, I have stood on the Grand Canyon floor for several hours and never noticed any difference. The decline and fall of the great American innovation machine is just like that - imperceptible changes in foresight, but indisputable damage in hindsight. 

       The great American innovation machine is broken. We have regulated, cajoled and rationalized ourselves into innovation oblivion. We are in taxi-cab gridlock in New York City in Times Square at 5PM Friday afternoon trying to get home to Connecticut. We are moving, but we are not going anywhere, nor will we get there on time. And like the Swiss watch, innovation has passed us by so swiftly, so silently that we did not see the movement. 

       Follow this blog. And I will explain what needs to be done to fix it.