As another recession is getting started and the USA watches more manufacturing go overseas one wonders when we’ll do something to get off our bums and be more competitive and retain jobs.

Well, somebody is at least thinking about it. A think tank issued a press release today recommending that a National Innovation Foundation should be created, and funded, in order to help the USA compete and drive growth. See the release here: www.mercurynews.com/politics/ci_9023834

I’m glad that the ITIF (see www.itif.org) came out with this suggestion, although it strikes me as a bit obvious. One wonders why this wasn’t done 15 years ago. The Bush administration, in it’s infinite wisdom on support of small business, is trying to eliminate the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a government entity trying to assist companies in modernizing their operations. Congress has kicked around a couple of ideas, such as the America Competes Act, but without funding where could that go and what could it achieve?

Susan Collins, Republican senator from Maine, is working now to create an innovation foundation.

I would hope that whoever is elected would support this important initiative.

Are you listening Barack, John, and Hillary?