Basic Research is the term that refers to that game-changing work traditionally performed 2/3rds by private industry and 1/3rd government funded. Think transistors, internet and the atom bomb.
Here is a government entity with a good summary of the current state of affairs, and calling for "Serious National Attention." As I began to read the article I immediately thought, "well, industry has taken its R&D overseas." And indeed, the article says,
Not only is funding flat in USA, so are the markets (I mean buying and selling goods and services, not Wall Street.) Markets overseas are growing. Countries are liberalizing. Workers overseas do not have the pernicious sense of entitlement that urges them to collect government dole and shoot up gun free zones instead of working. And of course the Government does its part by otherwise making job creation and innovation punishable.
Why would people invest in USA when you can make more money faster overseas?
Now, what are the big successes in government-funded R&D? Well, the biggest might be the genome sequencing of the human DNA. Except private companies did it cheaper faster. Nonetheless in the capitalist spoils system, private companies have patent on your DNA. Now researchers need permission of private companies to cure cancer.
With industry finding overseas R&D is more productive, and Government R&D being a sort of Trojan Horse, there is the problem. You can talk all you want about it, or you can solve it, by ending it.
Then what? Well, look here. There is more data to sift than there is funding, or could be, to do so. What to do? Open source basic research. http://www.andromedaproject.org/#!/about Check around the site. There are actually making progress on basic research.
Transportation issues? Some kids are solving it. One could go all day long at this, and ultimately, there is nothing in the way of research that cannot be replaced by open-sourced private efforts.
And not to put too fine a point on it, the big defense of government-sponsored research comes from big defense. They all like to see war, and even a world war, because, boy, those were the days.
I have no doubt we would in fact lead the world in every area, if we were free in every area. One big reason we are not free is our standing military.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
Here is a government entity with a good summary of the current state of affairs, and calling for "Serious National Attention." As I began to read the article I immediately thought, "well, industry has taken its R&D overseas." And indeed, the article says,
Extending beyond U.S. borders, dramatic changes have occurred that have led to a new global economy operating in ways not envisioned even several decades ago. As with our own Nation, innovation and its hand maiden, R&D, is driving the global economy, and we are seeing more nations recognize this by creating their own version of U.S. research institutions and infrastructure. U.S. businesses are taking advantage of the global markets and resources, and are increasing their support for research and R&D infrastructure outside the U.S. At the same time, industry support for its own U.S. basic research has been fairly stagnant in this century,[5] and its support to academic basic research in the U.S. has remained at most flat, and declined in share of support for academic R&D to a level not seen in more than 2 decades.[6]I have a solution. Eliminate all government funding of research, and also eliminate the patent regime. If we got rid of those twin pillars of state oppression, we'd work our way out of our economic problems spectacularly.
Not only is funding flat in USA, so are the markets (I mean buying and selling goods and services, not Wall Street.) Markets overseas are growing. Countries are liberalizing. Workers overseas do not have the pernicious sense of entitlement that urges them to collect government dole and shoot up gun free zones instead of working. And of course the Government does its part by otherwise making job creation and innovation punishable.
Why would people invest in USA when you can make more money faster overseas?
Now, what are the big successes in government-funded R&D? Well, the biggest might be the genome sequencing of the human DNA. Except private companies did it cheaper faster. Nonetheless in the capitalist spoils system, private companies have patent on your DNA. Now researchers need permission of private companies to cure cancer.
This revolution in DNA sequencing led to an explosive rate of discovery and cures for many genetic illnesses6, but there was a fly in the ointment. Thousands of flies actually; manifested in the name of gene patents that would ultimately prevent competitive sequencing of breast cancer patients2, 7-9.Chevy Volt is an example. It is a care that costs some $25,000, in an accident the "first responders" must consult a special handbook on how to proceed, to avoid being electrocuted to death (imagine being trapped in a burning care and seeing firemen reading a manual.) And you pay $25,000, but if you divide the R&D costs by the units sold, we are all paying $250,000 for that car. Then there is big pharma and big drug, who keep the profits from taxpayer funded research, as a practical matter. Sure, the money to create the Volt was "free" to GM, but it is turning out to be a mistake to have taken it.
With industry finding overseas R&D is more productive, and Government R&D being a sort of Trojan Horse, there is the problem. You can talk all you want about it, or you can solve it, by ending it.
Then what? Well, look here. There is more data to sift than there is funding, or could be, to do so. What to do? Open source basic research. http://www.andromedaproject.org/#!/about Check around the site. There are actually making progress on basic research.
Transportation issues? Some kids are solving it. One could go all day long at this, and ultimately, there is nothing in the way of research that cannot be replaced by open-sourced private efforts.
And not to put too fine a point on it, the big defense of government-sponsored research comes from big defense. They all like to see war, and even a world war, because, boy, those were the days.
I have no doubt we would in fact lead the world in every area, if we were free in every area. One big reason we are not free is our standing military.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
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