Economy

From Pete Ashdown Campaign Collaboration Wiki

The United States of America has historically been an economic superpower and an innovator of technology. We harnessed electricity, invented the light-bulb and the television, but what have we produced lately?

The United States is in dire danger as we are being surpassed by other countries on the industrial front. We developed the first railroad system, but China, Germany, and Japan are developing trains that float with no moving parts. We industrialized around the steam and internal combustion engines, but remain stuck in high gear on fossil fuels. Meanwhile the international community is closing in on energy production through fusion, and guess where the first operating plant is being built -- not in the U.S.A. The Chinese are gearing up to clean our clock economically with no oil dependence at all.

Our primary education system is sending less students on to college and our colleges are seeing a decline in engineering, sciences, and health fields. These, along with a looming teacher shortage in Utah, bode ominously for our future where we will not be on top of innovation or health care. National focus must be directed towards rigorous, disciplined, broad education from an early age with a track towards college. Children must be motivated and inspired to enter these crucial fields.

Other countries are now surpassing the United States with innovation. We need to have the courage to reverse this trend.

France to Host World's First Nuclear Fusion Plant

Europe Presses Plan for Fusion Reactor

Australia and China Plan Solar Chimneys

Outsourcing Although disastrous to individuals, outsourcing can benefit the economy on the whole. This only works, however, with innovation. If innovation and technological advancement stagnate, outsourcing expedites the economic problems that come with a lack of innovation. As such, we need to promote innovation. The government, although not entirely responsible, can play a monumental roll in promoting innovation through increased funding for education and spending on scientific programs, such as NASA. When the government rewards and encourages technology and scientific learning, it provides incentive for young people to enter the respective fields and drive innovation. When this happens, outsourcing is not a problem. It frees up resources (capital and labor) to be put into new industries developed through innovation. Therefore, rather than fighting outsourcing, efforts should be spent on encouraging innovation.

Additionally, outsourcing has resulting in cheaper prices for consumers, thereby increasing the standard of living for Americans. Cheaper labor costs for foreign automobile manufacturers has resulted in greater R&D, allowing car manufacturers to design better cars for American consumers at lower prices. Instead of hiding from outsourcing, our legislation should embrace it. Make emmigration easier for American citizens to work abroad so that they can go to where the jobs are for their skillset. This will result in a more efficient labor market.