The Great American Business Incubator

As America and the rest of the world work through the current recessionary period, reflection back on the methods of development which created our strongest economic base is necessary. Contrary to some positions communicated on TV talk shows, the government has historically always been involved with the vast expansion of economic developments beneficial to our society. If the government is not considered one of the initial “investors” in the technological development with infrastructure, funding the university system, and providing grants for research, then it is the creator of the evolving American marketplace. Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison are credited for the telephone and electricity, respectively. However, it was the national installation of the wire line and electric grid that provided for the product application with benefits of immense growth to society. Aside from the current struggles in Detroit, the highway and interstate infrastructure really contributed to the success of the automobile industry. The same argument can be made for the railways and aircraft industry with airports.

The necessary market developments that induce mass adoption of a new technology or invention do not always compute in the financial analysis from business (ROI, ROA, Payback, and Cash Flow). It is the forward looking recognition and contribution of the government that make the difference. This is why it matters where and how the government spends its money. Wise investments for one industry’s infrastructure could possibly spawn two or three other industries. When industry will not spend money and invest during times of declining employment levels, it appears to me that two options are available: 1) Government makes the investment [possibly creating and developing the business with unemployed business people for later sale to other investors] or 2) Change industry rules and standards for the current businesses to invest in change to adopt.

Many good ideas have been published on where best to spend stimulus to create jobs. I do not intend to duplicate so any repeat is coincidental with similar thinking. The following is just a personal list of items of where I think the country should focus for development and I will attempt to place in the order I believe to have the most immediate impact:

1. Construction, repair, and inspection of the nation’s bridges and roadways.

2. Small Business Lending institutions for grants to business creation by entrepreneurs not served by the current banking system (An addendum to the SBA activities and agenda).

3. Sponsorship of the razing of abandoned buildings throughout the country not suitable for future usage. Although not the same emotional value as constructing a new building, it will reduce despair by passersby and remove the negative image. Maybe Hollywood would be interested in the destruction of some buildings and could offset costs [referring to abandoned industrial buildings no longer in use].

4. Sponsorship for the installation of electric charging stations for current and upcoming hybrid automobiles. Hotels and motels appear to be obvious locations but maybe there are other ideas to consider.

5. Introduce regulations and standards for safe, efficient, and universal maintenance of medical records with patient portability.

6. Adopt the standards conducive to the development of a “green” infrastructure:
a) Increase vehicle fleet mileage standards;
b) Improve fuel efficiency and gasoline octane standards;
c) Pollution limits, adopt "cleaner" coal standards, improve electricity generation efficiencies (similar to average fleet mileage standards – reduce average generation costs including cost of pollution).

7. Continue investment in university and college research toward targeted fields such as “green” energy, non-biodegradable plastics alternative, targeted biomedical projects, and new uses for the future abandoned telephone wire lines.

I am sure there will be other opinions because not many want to change the current way business is conducted until the model does not earn as expected. However, when the model stops earning as expected it is usually a sign of the end and is often too late to avoid dissolution or restructuring. I also realize that financial measures such as return are not totally applicable to management of government affairs, but another way to look at the arguments against government involvement is to question whether or not industry has returned in taxes the equivalent to expected return on investment/equity for its benefit from infrastructure development and maintenance.