The Great Broken American Innovation Machine

Wake up, get up, wise up, do something. If your eyes are open, then you have seen the results of the great innovation machine. From cars to planes, trains to computers, vacuum cleaners to washing machines, microwave ovens to toys, from polio vaccines to band-aids--no one, but no one has gone untouched by the great American innovation machine. We used to make it all. We certainly thought up most of it. Thousands of books and hundreds of movies have chronicled the innovation machine for the last 50 years. World leaders have heralded our successes and labeled us the innovation giant.

But wake up and wise up because it just “ain’t” so anymore. Like the Buffalo, the innovation machine has silently slipped into myopic memory storage. We know the Buffalo were here we just do not know exactly what happened to them. Pick up the latest toy or electronic game and we don’t make it, we don’t even think it up. Somebody else does. And by the way more power to the innovators what ever country they live in. The issue of the great broken innovation machine is not where the least expensive labor or materials are located, the issue is why America is not innovating things that create industries any more. Of course, the skeptics will all launch their anecdotal missile exceptions like Google or Microsoft, but keen observers will not be misdirected by this sleight of hand and adsorb the larger picture. McDonalds is one of our nations largest employers. So is the government.

One out of every 10 people are employed by a local, state or federal government. The last time I checked the government does not make anything. But make no mistake about it the government’s role in the creation and cremation of the great American innovation machine is awesome and pervasive. Its role in breaking the machine is not without evidence also. But do not think for a moment that I am going to join the popular position that the government, whoever that is, is the real culprit because the last time we checked this situation too; we, that is you and I, elected these public officials ourselves. There is no corner to hide in and escape the blame.