The Future of Innovation: Can America Keep Pace?

[Chris]

The Future of Innovation: Can America Keep Pace?
By Fareed Zakaria Sunday, June 05, 2011

"The first step to winning the future is encouraging American innovation." That was Barack Obama in his State of the Union address last January, when he hit the theme repeatedly, using the word innovation or innovate 11 times. And on this issue, at least, Republicans seem in sync with Obama. Listen to Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich or Mitch Daniels and the word innovation pops up again and again. Everyone wants innovation and agrees that it is the key to America's future.

Innovation is as American as apple pie. It seems to accord with so many elements of our national character — ingenuity, freedom, flexibility, the willingness to question conventional wisdom and defy authority. But politicians are pinning their hopes on innovation for more urgent reasons. America's future growth will have to come from new industries that create new products and processes. Older industries are under tremendous pressure. Technological change is making factories and offices far more efficient. The rise of low-wage manufacturing in China and low-wage services in India is moving jobs overseas. The only durable strength we have — the only one that can withstand these gale winds — is innovation.

The Future of U.S. Innovation: Can Americans Keep Pace? - TIME

 

[Samson]

Zakaria.....90% Liberal....10% Idiot.

 

[Chris]

Zakaria.....90% Liberal....10% Idiot.

Actually he's quite good.

But keep on living in a fantasy land.

 

[FireFly]

Wow Fareed Zakaria really???

"The Post American World" by Fareed Zakaria is Obama's Favorite Book!

 

[Polk]

Wow Fareed Zakaria really???

"The Post American World" by Fareed Zakaria is Obama's Favorite Book!

I'm guessing you've never read said book.

 

[FireFly]

Wow Fareed Zakaria really???

"The Post American World" by Fareed Zakaria is Obama's Favorite Book!

I'm guessing you've never read said book.

I read some cliff notes of it. It's just a lot of innovate, green-wash, the rest of the world is passing America by stuff.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

The Future of Innovation: Can America Keep Pace?
By Fareed Zakaria Sunday, June 05, 2011

"The first step to winning the future is encouraging American innovation." That was Barack Obama in his State of the Union address last January, when he hit the theme repeatedly, using the word innovation or innovate 11 times. And on this issue, at least, Republicans seem in sync with Obama. Listen to Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich or Mitch Daniels and the word innovation pops up again and again. Everyone wants innovation and agrees that it is the key to America's future.

Innovation is as American as apple pie. It seems to accord with so many elements of our national character — ingenuity, freedom, flexibility, the willingness to question conventional wisdom and defy authority. But politicians are pinning their hopes on innovation for more urgent reasons. America's future growth will have to come from new industries that create new products and processes. Older industries are under tremendous pressure. Technological change is making factories and offices far more efficient. The rise of low-wage manufacturing in China and low-wage services in India is moving jobs overseas. The only durable strength we have — the only one that can withstand these gale winds — is innovation.

The Future of U.S. Innovation: Can Americans Keep Pace? - TIME

Aren't you one of the people that wants us to "innovate" ourselves into a 19th century technology?

 

[auditor0007]

Then next big innovations are going to be in energy, whether it be new ways to extract fossil fuels or whether it be in alternative energies. Leaving this up to private industry entirely may not be the way to go as other countries are beginning to invest a great deal of taxpayer money into R&D. If they beat us to the punch, it could leave us in a situation where we are purchasing even more from other countries as we fall behind in the development of those technologies.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Wow Fareed Zakaria really???

"The Post American World" by Fareed Zakaria is Obama's Favorite Book!

I'm guessing you've never read said book.

You, on the other hand, probably think it is insightful. What I do not understand is why he looks at the European system, which had to rebuild from scratch post WWII, and thinks that we should try to copy it. Does it really make sense to think that the government, which lives off of the very infrastructure he thinks we need to abandon, is actually going to work to eliminate itself.

Taxes should be used only for one thing, as revenue for the government. We have used them in this country to make social policy for decades. The problems that Zakaria looks to the government to solve were created, and are sustained, by the government. Why do you think BP had no qualms about handing $20 billion to the government? Doing so made the government a partner with them in limited the damages they have to pay, and you supported it.

I do agree with him about one thing, America needs to lead. We need to stop looking at the rest of the world and trying to do things the same way they do, we need to find out what works and do it. The government cannot do that for one simple reason, the government cannot accept failure. Look at how hard it is to stop doing something everyone things should stop, like building a completely useless spare engine for the new JSF. The pentagon has cancelled it every single year, Bush and Obama both left it out of their budgets, yet it still gets funding because it keeps a few hundred people employed in a key congressional district.

The government never backs down when they get it wrong, they just keep spending money because it is the way they do things, and not spending money makes them the enemies of someone whose job is going to die because that particular plant is going to close. No congressman is ever going to go back to his district and tell them that he voted to close a plant because it was the right thing to do. Having the government "invest" in green energy is just going to have us supporting a plant that makes solar panels while someone in Somalia builds fusion bottles than can be put into garages because they do not have to deal with the paperwork and regulations that stifle innovation.

The problem with this country is not that private enterprise is not ready, willing, and able to innovate, the problem is that the government will not let them.

 

[Two Thumbs]

Who isn't for innovation?

The break comes between believing in the American people or not.

republicans and conservatives know Americans are some, it not the, most innovative people on the planet.

Libs, progs and the Dems think it all comes from the government.

The reps and cons are right and the libs, prog and dems are a bunch of grubby little douche nozzles that want to take credit for other peoples work

 

[Samson]

Wow Fareed Zakaria really???

"The Post American World" by Fareed Zakaria is Obama's Favorite Book!

I'm guessing you've never read said book.

You, on the other hand, probably think it is insightful. What I do not understand is why he looks at the European system, which had to rebuild from scratch post WWII, and thinks that we should try to copy it. Does it really make sense to think that the government, which lives off of the very infrastructure he thinks we need to abandon, is actually going to work to eliminate itself.

.....
I do agree with him about one thing, America needs to lead. We need to stop looking at the rest of the world and trying to do things the same way they do, we need to find out what works and do it.

Innovation doesn't mean you put on blinders and "stop looking at the rest of the world." Indeed, the least innovative corporations tend to be those that are inward focused.

What astonishes me about Zakaria is his slavish devotion to what has always been his constituancy: The MSM Elite, and how he is able to balance this with his genuiely rock hard conservativism (He was a member of perhaps the most conservative of clubs in America, Yale's "Party of the Right.")

One almost wonders if he's parodying Leftist Eliteists rather that butting heads with them in the William F. Buckley manner.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Innovation is anathema to the Federal Department of Education and the UFT; both of which must be eliminated

 

[FireFly]

Then next big innovations are going to be in energy, whether it be new ways to extract fossil fuels or whether it be in alternative energies. Leaving this up to private industry entirely may not be the way to go as other countries are beginning to invest a great deal of taxpayer money into R&D. If they beat us to the punch, it could leave us in a situation where we are purchasing even more from other countries as we fall behind in the development of those technologies.

The USA invented Nuclear Power Plants & Bombs. Are other countries buying them from the USA? - NO! Are they paying the USA royalties for that technology? - NO!

Is the inventor of the solar panel getting paid for every panel produced around the world? - NO!

Is Xerox profiting big from it's invention Touch Screen Icons, Mouse, Optical Laser Mouse, Postscript, & Intranet? - NO!

Does China not benefit every day from the USA's technological advances for which China paid none of the R&D? - YES!

Why do Fareed, Obama & Democrats always want the USA to go backward in technology to proven flawed models such as Trains? - STUPID

Fusion or some other breakthrough can power personal automobiles just as it would power a train. What if it could power planes, hovercraft & levitating-craft, would you still want to keep building roads, train-tracks & train stations? Rickshaws, Horse & buggies get great MPG. Should the USA start building new designer rickshaws & buggy whips to keep people employed?

 

[Mr. Shaman]

The Future of Innovation: Can America Keep Pace?
By Fareed Zakaria Sunday, June 05, 2011

"The first step to winning the future is encouraging American innovation." That was Barack Obama in his State of the Union address last January, when he hit the theme repeatedly, using the word innovation or innovate 11 times. And on this issue, at least, Republicans seem in sync with Obama. Listen to Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich or Mitch Daniels and the word innovation pops up again and again. Everyone wants innovation and agrees that it is the key to America's future.

Innovation is as American as apple pie. It seems to accord with so many elements of our national character — ingenuity, freedom, flexibility, the willingness to question conventional wisdom and defy authority. But politicians are pinning their hopes on innovation for more urgent reasons. America's future growth will have to come from new industries that create new products and processes. Older industries are under tremendous pressure. Technological change is making factories and offices far more efficient. The rise of low-wage manufacturing in China and low-wage services in India is moving jobs overseas. The only durable strength we have — the only one that can withstand these gale winds — is innovation.

The Future of U.S. Innovation: Can Americans Keep Pace? - TIME

We used to hear such "pitches" at quarterly Engineering strategy-meetings, all-the-time...typically by a COO...then, get enhancements (on competitors' products, from our concept-people) as our "new"-direction.

Innovation/R&D/production, in this Country, has gone the same route as the music-business....and, most everything-else:

If something new sells, COPY IT!!

Engineers haven't been able to do their job, in years!

Innovation, in this Country, has been hijacked by professional-managers/CONSERVATIVES!! If there's no GUARANTEE a new-product will sell, it's never (even) given a second-thought!!!

Hell....why waste money on R&D....when there's so-much of it required for bonu$e$?!!!​

 

[Mr. Shaman]

Who isn't for innovation?

Conservatives!!!

It's (just) not in their DNA.​

 

[Mr. Shaman]

Innovation is anathema to the Federal Department of Education and the UFT; both of which must be eliminated

How ironic.

You "conservatives" do everything you CAN, to gut any-and-all school-programs that encourage imagination & creativity....and, then, whine & complain when schools can only manage to produce glorified bean-counters, like yourselves!

 

[Mr. Shaman]

Then next big innovations are going to be in energy, whether it be new ways to extract fossil fuels or whether it be in alternative energies. Leaving this up to private industry entirely may not be the way to go as other countries are beginning to invest a great deal of taxpayer money into R&D. If they beat us to the punch, it could leave us in a situation where we are purchasing even more from other countries as we fall behind in the development of those technologies.

Does China not benefit every day from the USA's technological advances for which they paid none of the R&D? - YES!

oooooooooooooooooooo.....geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.....

China has the "corner" on the cell-phone/computer market.

Whatta shame that's all the World needs; enhanced cell-phones & computers.

*

BTW.....you can thank ReRon Reagan for hobbling OUR....

...SOLAR INDUSTRY!!!

 

[Seawytch]

The Future of Innovation: Can America Keep Pace?
By Fareed Zakaria Sunday, June 05, 2011

"The first step to winning the future is encouraging American innovation." That was Barack Obama in his State of the Union address last January, when he hit the theme repeatedly, using the word innovation or innovate 11 times. And on this issue, at least, Republicans seem in sync with Obama. Listen to Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich or Mitch Daniels and the word innovation pops up again and again. Everyone wants innovation and agrees that it is the key to America's future.

Innovation is as American as apple pie. It seems to accord with so many elements of our national character — ingenuity, freedom, flexibility, the willingness to question conventional wisdom and defy authority. But politicians are pinning their hopes on innovation for more urgent reasons. America's future growth will have to come from new industries that create new products and processes. Older industries are under tremendous pressure. Technological change is making factories and offices far more efficient. The rise of low-wage manufacturing in China and low-wage services in India is moving jobs overseas. The only durable strength we have — the only one that can withstand these gale winds — is innovation.

The Future of U.S. Innovation: Can Americans Keep Pace? - TIME

We won't be able to without investments in future technologies. We won't be able to without investments in education. We are falling too far behind other countries and I don't know if we are going to be able to catch up unless we do something soon.

Jesus H Christ on a raft, we practically DID invent the internet in the United States and yet our broadband infrastructure is ranked 29th in the world. That's fucking sad...

 

[Samson]

The Future of Innovation: Can America Keep Pace?
By Fareed Zakaria Sunday, June 05, 2011

"The first step to winning the future is encouraging American innovation." That was Barack Obama in his State of the Union address last January, when he hit the theme repeatedly, using the word innovation or innovate 11 times. And on this issue, at least, Republicans seem in sync with Obama. Listen to Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich or Mitch Daniels and the word innovation pops up again and again. Everyone wants innovation and agrees that it is the key to America's future.

Innovation is as American as apple pie. It seems to accord with so many elements of our national character — ingenuity, freedom, flexibility, the willingness to question conventional wisdom and defy authority. But politicians are pinning their hopes on innovation for more urgent reasons. America's future growth will have to come from new industries that create new products and processes. Older industries are under tremendous pressure. Technological change is making factories and offices far more efficient. The rise of low-wage manufacturing in China and low-wage services in India is moving jobs overseas. The only durable strength we have — the only one that can withstand these gale winds — is innovation.

The Future of U.S. Innovation: Can Americans Keep Pace? - TIME

We won't be able to without investments in future technologies. We won't be able to without investments in education. We are falling too far behind other countries and I don't know if we are going to be able to catch up unless we do something soon.

Jesus H Christ on a raft, we practically DID invent the internet in the United States and yet our broadband infrastructure is ranked 29th in the world. That's fucking sad...

Interestingly there is innovation in fossil fuel exploitation, particularly natural gas.

If automobiles were converted to natural gas (methane) engines, the USA would have enough fuel for it's transportation needs for centuries. The need to update the fuel infrastructure would create millions of DOMESTIC jobs. Obama has recognized this potential, however he lacks the leadership charateristic to implement a plan.

 

[bripat9643]

Everything Obama and the Dems have been doing is designed to crush innovation. Bureaucratic control and innovation are mutually exclusive propositions. What could be more ironic than some servile toady like you who wants the government to run everything whining about the lack of innovation?

The Future of Innovation: Can America Keep Pace?
By Fareed Zakaria Sunday, June 05, 2011

"The first step to winning the future is encouraging American innovation." That was Barack Obama in his State of the Union address last January, when he hit the theme repeatedly, using the word innovation or innovate 11 times. And on this issue, at least, Republicans seem in sync with Obama. Listen to Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich or Mitch Daniels and the word innovation pops up again and again. Everyone wants innovation and agrees that it is the key to America's future.

Innovation is as American as apple pie. It seems to accord with so many elements of our national character — ingenuity, freedom, flexibility, the willingness to question conventional wisdom and defy authority. But politicians are pinning their hopes on innovation for more urgent reasons. America's future growth will have to come from new industries that create new products and processes. Older industries are under tremendous pressure. Technological change is making factories and offices far more efficient. The rise of low-wage manufacturing in China and low-wage services in India is moving jobs overseas. The only durable strength we have — the only one that can withstand these gale winds — is innovation.

The Future of U.S. Innovation: Can Americans Keep Pace? - TIME