On this note, the Fisker automobile is an example of poor marketing. It is an extraordinary vehicle in every sense, but should have taken the form of a medium or compact size 4-door sedan, the type of vehicle so many of us drive to work every day. The Fisker’s cost and limited production will only serve to delay the need for an affordable, mass produced vehicle, and all the economic benefits derived from their introduction and use.

The simple truth is that the free market CAN’T innovate as quickly as the federal government. The free market ties itself up in copyrights and lawsuits. Companies choose not to innovate for fear of infringing on someone else’s patent. Years ago, Microsoft and Apple were at each other’s throats for the idea of having a mouse cursor and rectangular “windows” on a computer screen. Apple is currently at odds with several other mobile-device manufacturers because of alleged patent infringements that is hampering development into new ways of using these devices. (Essentially, Apple is channeling Gene Simmons: “We invented everything. So you are all infringing on our copyrights. Lawsuit pending.)

In the old days (that cliche again!), the public didn’t care if some technology didn’t pan out because they had no idea it was being researched. But today, the public will not allow the government as much discretion into what it chooses to throw money at. Of course, there will be failures like Solyndra. But look at the successes! They FAR outweigh the losses. And every loss is research in and of itself; as a nation, we’ve learned from Solyndra’s failure. It was an expensive lesson at $527 million dollars, but now at least we know what NOT to do. (We’ve learned that even with that much money, solar power just isn’t sustainable enough yet.)

The federal government SHOULD continue to fund technology research. There will be failures, of course. Every investment has that risk. But it’s a risk that MUST be taken. The technological future of the United States depends on it.