I enjoyed this one. However, I think that it may be a little too late to implement some of the ideas presented here. I hope not, as implementing this program, even half of it, could restore American to the land of opportunity and entrepreneurialism.
"it is the fortunate result of our nation's rich and unique stew of individual liberty, constitutional democracy, limited government, free enterprise, social mobility, ethnic diversity, immigrant assimilation, intellectual freedom, property rights, and rule of law." If you have been keeping up with recent current events, you will see that a lot of the things listed above have been being stripped away from us in the US.
The Sarbanes-Oxley law has penalized investments in start-up businesses. That is a definite blow to innovation. The author also thinks that we should allow ANY company to fail! What would have happened if the government bailed out all the horse and buggy companies back in the day????
Students from around the world long to come to the US to study at our universities. However, once they are done, they are sent home, where they start up innovative new companies there, instead of here. He advocates more immigration, as immigrants are more likely than native-born Americans to start businesses. A growth economy requires an expanding population.
The fact that we have long ignored our aging infrastructure will make this impossible. "We are becoming India, and it saddens and angers me." Companies can not thrive with intermittent electricity, crumbling roads and polluted water.
"The U.S. is the only country that taxes revenue from abroad-even though it is also taxed by other countries. So corporations respond by keeping billions in cash and not returning it to the United States." "Require every law passed by Congress to be analyzed for its cost-benefit impact on business operations and the nation's economic growth."
"Nuclear energy is safe, carbon-neutral, and cheap, when we get the plants built." This was obviously written before the meltdown in Japan, now we can see that it is not really safe. Also, 90% of US nuclear plants have been built on fault lines... duh???? Clean coal is the way to go, in my humble opinion as all that comes out of coal fired plants smokestacks is carbon dioxide, which the government wants you to think is NOT safe. I take issue with this. If we can get enough green power, clean coal is the next best alternative. However, our current President has publicly stated that he will tax any new coal fired plant into bankruptcy!
Definitely a good read! I hope that we can implement these strategies!