Don’t knock U.S. government innovation
I write in response to Dave Souders’ Nov. 22 letter to Fence Post. In essence, Souder resurrects the old saw, “There’s nothing wrong with our country that less government can’t fix.”
Souders cites tax reform proposals by the current crop of presidential candidates, all of which are untenable when analyzed by independent experts.
Souders recommends “throwing the bums out” (i.e., the IRS and accountants whether private or public). He blithely alludes to laying off thousands of workers and making changes that will force thousands of businesses to close.
Does he know jobs are hard to find these days?
He implies government employees are innately inefficient. The facts refute the myths.
For example, Medicare’s administrative costs are 3 percent. The most “efficient” for-profit health care insurance company routinely reports 30 to 40 percent administrative costs.
Souders contends government can’t be innovative. Maybe he doesn’t remember NASA putting men on the moon.
I wonder if he uses things like Velcro, shoe insoles, long distance cellular telecommunication, cordless tools or water filters. Maybe he’s lucky enough to not need scratch resistant eyeglasses, arterial microscopy, cochlear implants or invisible orthodontic braces.
But for those who need and use these inventions — thank the government.
The belief that the private sector produces more innovation is both a myth and a bad trend. Good scientific research is an objective, rigorous process that learns from mistakes, builds on lessons learned and does not presuppose outcomes. For-profit research has different agendas and strings attached. Far fewer true innovations have come from for-profit research than publicly funded research.
Locally, Fermilab is a center for science and innovation. Had it received adequate public support, the supercollider project and associated jobs would be in Illinois, not Switzerland. And the citizens of the U.S. would benefit from the resulting science, research and innovations.
Tim Springer
Batavia