U.S. tech edge getting dull, companies say

WASHINGTON--Intel Chief Executive Craig Barrett and educators on Wednesday warned that the United States is in danger of losing its premier position as the world's science and technology leader.

Barrett and other members of an "innovation" task force released a report that sounded one of the starkest warnings to date about greater foreign competition and reduced federal spending on basic research, which have combined to put "our economic competitiveness at risk."

"The downside could be very, very dramatic, especially as other countries target research universities" and as foreign students are no longer as drawn to top-tier U.S. institutions, said Barrett, who told an audience at a press conference here about the wealth of engineers graduating from Chinese universities.

The recommendations of the "Task Force on the Future of American Innovation" were vague but unsurprising: More federal tax dollars should be spent on basic research through "sustained investments and informed policies." Other members of the task force include Microsoft, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Texas Instruments, the American Mathematical Society, and the National Association of Manufacturers.

"We're No. 2," said Diana Hicks, chair of the public-policy school at the Georgia Institute of Technology. "When it comes to science and technology, the U.S. has never been No. 2."

Among the statistics that the task force cited: The U.S. share of undergraduate science and engineering degrees is dropping; Asian students are becoming less likely to study in the United States; other nations are catching up to U.S. research and development spending; and the share of technical papers published by U.S. authors fell from 38 percent in 1988 to 31 percent in 2001.

The task force calls for "strong, sustained increases for research budgets" at federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense--but its report did not say whether the funds should be raised by tax increases, by greater deficit spending or by slicing other agencies' budgets. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the national debt stands at $7.67 trillion, and President Bush's recent budget would increase it by roughly $400 billion.

"We all support better science, but the presumption that it's going to come out of a government spigot is one we should look at more closely," said Fred Smith, president of the free-market Competitive Enterprise Institute.

"The real serious problem with America's intellectual base are policies that make it so hard for bright people to come here," said Smith, who opposes higher federal spending on research. The task force "might want to rethink the entire Patriot Act."

A portion of the act titled "Foreign Student Monitoring Program," which the task force's report does not mention, has encountered criticism for discouraging foreign students from entering the United States. Also, in many cases, student and visitor visas have become more difficult to obtain since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Markets should pay

I don't think that the government should fork the bill for research. That is just more socialism and taxion for the already tax burden society. In a free market society the market should bear it's own reseach dollars. They should pay less to CEO's; specially those that run companies aground and then walk away with a severance in the millions of $'s

Agreed

Companies ask because companies know they will receive. But you are correct -- they should bear this cost, particularly because the situation is due to them. If they would hire American engineers instead of H1-Bs, then kids would see job opportunities and go into those majors. As it is now, most people I know in tech are looking for an exit strategy.

[RavingEniac]

private enterprise invented computers, right?

Wrong. It was govt funding starting with d.p. equipment for the 1890 census, World War II computers (automatic calculators?) to figure artillery ballistics tables, and govt funding for the first multitasking operating systems. These are only highlights of the govt money that paid for computer development before private enterprise took over. Then there's the nuclear industry, the space program, satellites, etc---developed with taxes.

Heck, Columbus discovered the New World on a trip paid for by taxes.

Markets should pay

I don't think that the government should fork the bill for research. That is just more socialism and taxion for the already tax burden society. In a free market society the market should bear it's own reseach dollars. They should pay less to CEO's; specially those that run companies aground and then walk away with a severance in the millions of $'s

Agreed

Companies ask because companies know they will receive. But you are correct -- they should bear this cost, particularly because the situation is due to them. If they would hire American engineers instead of H1-Bs, then kids would see job opportunities and go into those majors. As it is now, most people I know in tech are looking for an exit strategy.

[RavingEniac]

private enterprise invented computers, right?

Wrong. It was govt funding starting with d.p. equipment for the 1890 census, World War II computers (automatic calculators?) to figure artillery ballistics tables, and govt funding for the first multitasking operating systems. These are only highlights of the govt money that paid for computer development before private enterprise took over. Then there's the nuclear industry, the space program, satellites, etc---developed with taxes.

Heck, Columbus discovered the New World on a trip paid for by taxes.

[finleyd]

Tax cuts at work

The dulling of American Education is a consquence of the mania for tax cuts. Maybe the CEOs should support higher taxes to pay for education , instead of squeezing every level of government for lower taxes.

[finleyd]

Tax cuts at work

The dulling of American Education is a consquence of the mania for tax cuts. Maybe the CEOs should support higher taxes to pay for education , instead of squeezing every level of government for lower taxes.

Tech industry

There are a number of problems to overcome in this country before we can regain our place. And, since those problems won't be over come anytime soon, if at all, be prepared to see the America at the bottom of the list.

Here are some reasons why we won't make it back to the top:

Corporate greed.
Legislation (DMCA, Patriot Act)
Copyright law

Since most Americans think that the gover't should be Mommy and Daddy, kids in schools aren't even taught to think. They're just enculturated to follow the party line.

Tech industry

There are a number of problems to overcome in this country before we can regain our place. And, since those problems won't be over come anytime soon, if at all, be prepared to see the America at the bottom of the list.

Here are some reasons why we won't make it back to the top:

Corporate greed.
Legislation (DMCA, Patriot Act)
Copyright law

Since most Americans think that the gover't should be Mommy and Daddy, kids in schools aren't even taught to think. They're just enculturated to follow the party line.

[aroyce]

Wishing does not cut it

Wishing to be a leader does not cut it when you outsource most of your industry overseas. When there are scant job opportunities don't expect people to enter the field. Gee, it would be nice is we led the world in commercial nuclear power technology but why would anybody in the USA be interested in it? I am a part-time CS instructor. My Java course was cancelled this term due to lack of interest. Guess what, why take courses that have no future? I started out life as an engineer. I even have one of those pretty 'P.E.' licenses - worthless piece of paper. I entered computer technology as engineering was contracting. Now I am working on my exit strategy altogether from technology. The USA will have to rely on others from now on. Big business has decided with its dollars that technology should go to the lowest cost provider no matter what. Expect computer science to go the way of nuclear engineering.

Finally!

After reading each reply, until I reached yours, Arthur, I'd thought everyone completely missed the point, as did the article.

We're not losing ground because of a lack of educational resources, or even educational subject format (although I'd agree, it's pretty dismal). We're losing it because Corporate America has told the American worker there is no place for you in the technical and engineering fields because we can get the work done cheaper overseas.

Contrary to popular (Corporate) belief, America is not suffering a "brain-drain" in math and sciences, nor are we suffering from an inability to perform the work. What we are suffering from is the lack of a reason to pursue those areas of study when Corporate greed has declared them dead to Americans.

To underscore the point, one of the sharpest computer engineers I have ever met was just faced with a free ride to expand his education to either pursue a Masters in Computer Engineering, or his MBA. He chose the MBA because he felt there was no place for him in this country as an Engineering Master. So, technologically, we lose one of the sharpest minds with the potential to make the greatest technological breakthroughs, not because he couldn't do the work, but because the same corporations that are decrying the decline of American trechnological prowess have essentially and effectively told him not to bother.

[aroyce]

Wishing does not cut it

Wishing to be a leader does not cut it when you outsource most of your industry overseas. When there are scant job opportunities don't expect people to enter the field. Gee, it would be nice is we led the world in commercial nuclear power technology but why would anybody in the USA be interested in it? I am a part-time CS instructor. My Java course was cancelled this term due to lack of interest. Guess what, why take courses that have no future? I started out life as an engineer. I even have one of those pretty 'P.E.' licenses - worthless piece of paper. I entered computer technology as engineering was contracting. Now I am working on my exit strategy altogether from technology. The USA will have to rely on others from now on. Big business has decided with its dollars that technology should go to the lowest cost provider no matter what. Expect computer science to go the way of nuclear engineering.

Finally!

After reading each reply, until I reached yours, Arthur, I'd thought everyone completely missed the point, as did the article.

We're not losing ground because of a lack of educational resources, or even educational subject format (although I'd agree, it's pretty dismal). We're losing it because Corporate America has told the American worker there is no place for you in the technical and engineering fields because we can get the work done cheaper overseas.

Contrary to popular (Corporate) belief, America is not suffering a "brain-drain" in math and sciences, nor are we suffering from an inability to perform the work. What we are suffering from is the lack of a reason to pursue those areas of study when Corporate greed has declared them dead to Americans.

To underscore the point, one of the sharpest computer engineers I have ever met was just faced with a free ride to expand his education to either pursue a Masters in Computer Engineering, or his MBA. He chose the MBA because he felt there was no place for him in this country as an Engineering Master. So, technologically, we lose one of the sharpest minds with the potential to make the greatest technological breakthroughs, not because he couldn't do the work, but because the same corporations that are decrying the decline of American trechnological prowess have essentially and effectively told him not to bother.

The US-SPEND MONEY on Tech. & Education

The United States should spend its money on Tech. & Education. If we keep spending it all on Iraq and other foriegn places, we'll turn up just like them. We'll be them because instead of improving us, we would spend it on everyone else and then the US will just go down the drain. By spending our money on us, and using it for tech. and education the US will not be NO. 2. We should spend it on tech. for the people we try to educate don't have to strogly as much. Which then that leads into education. Education of the US has improved, but it also has grealty deproved. There have been thousands of people graduting High School that don't even now how to read. Which then for the rest of their life they have to worry about where there getting their next meal. If you use our tech. to improve our education, our bussiness will raise and our econmey because the foriegn people will finally want to come back again. I know that some of you don't believe that improving our tech. will not improve our education, but it will. The education has came a great way with tech. (ex. light bulbs, computers, pluming) Anouther thing thats making our education and tech go down is that because there teachers and principles are being so mean that the students just don't want to go to school, which lowers there self-estime. If there self-estime is lowered that will affect them now and later in life. They willn't want to go to college, they will stay at home and not get a job... After the self-estime of a child is lowered it is very hard to get it to raise again, no matter how much you try. Then since the never got their job or degree, all the incredable things they could do would go down the drain, all because the one teacher or one principle. Then the improvements in the tech. would then improve because the student that DID NOT have his self-estimed lowered made a commetment and improve the tech. Anouther reason why the tech. is NO.2 is because the teachers aren't teaching the students anything thats going to help the country a lot. There to busy spending the in class time on projects,(Mrs. Cupp(Language Arts Teacher(Bethel Park School District's Neil Armstrong Middle Schoo))) & teaching students how to make bombs("Teacher arrested showing bomb tips, police say
A Florida high school chemistry teacher was arrested after students claimed he taught his class how to make a bomb.")))
They spend there time on menus instead of learning about verbs, nouns, sentences... So the main thing I'm trying to stress is that improving our tech. and education a lot will greatly now and in long term help the United States

The US-SPEND MONEY on Tech. & Education

The United States should spend its money on Tech. & Education. If we keep spending it all on Iraq and other foriegn places, we'll turn up just like them. We'll be them because instead of improving us, we would spend it on everyone else and then the US will just go down the drain. By spending our money on us, and using it for tech. and education the US will not be NO. 2. We should spend it on tech. for the people we try to educate don't have to strogly as much. Which then that leads into education. Education of the US has improved, but it also has grealty deproved. There have been thousands of people graduting High School that don't even now how to read. Which then for the rest of their life they have to worry about where there getting their next meal. If you use our tech. to improve our education, our bussiness will raise and our econmey because the foriegn people will finally want to come back again. I know that some of you don't believe that improving our tech. will not improve our education, but it will. The education has came a great way with tech. (ex. light bulbs, computers, pluming) Anouther thing thats making our education and tech go down is that because there teachers and principles are being so mean that the students just don't want to go to school, which lowers there self-estime. If there self-estime is lowered that will affect them now and later in life. They willn't want to go to college, they will stay at home and not get a job... After the self-estime of a child is lowered it is very hard to get it to raise again, no matter how much you try. Then since the never got their job or degree, all the incredable things they could do would go down the drain, all because the one teacher or one principle. Then the improvements in the tech. would then improve because the student that DID NOT have his self-estimed lowered made a commetment and improve the tech. Anouther reason why the tech. is NO.2 is because the teachers aren't teaching the students anything thats going to help the country a lot. There to busy spending the in class time on projects,(Mrs. Cupp(Language Arts Teacher(Bethel Park School District's Neil Armstrong Middle Schoo))) & teaching students how to make bombs("Teacher arrested showing bomb tips, police say
A Florida high school chemistry teacher was arrested after students claimed he taught his class how to make a bomb.")))
They spend there time on menus instead of learning about verbs, nouns, sentences... So the main thing I'm trying to stress is that improving our tech. and education a lot will greatly now and in long term help the United States