McCain's $300 mil challenge...Isn't that socialized inventing?

[Raven]

Does he have no confidence in the American Spirit and the role entreprenuership has played in the history of this Country? I wonder what Thomas Edison would have thought of this. Is he so defeated that he has to offer money for new ideas? I think this tells me that the Republicans will try to buy anything...and with my money! Gee, I thought it was Democrate who did these kind of subversive things!

[lisa58]

1. I thought the same thing when I heard it...

...what's he gonna call it? Contest for America?

[flamin lib]

2. So far this is the only positive move I've seen from the Republican

side of the aisle. Not a really good idea like the Manhattan Project or Apollo Project, but at least in the right general direction.

The only problem is that it doesn't finance the research, only the winner of the "race" to build a better battery. Better to triple the money and award grants to promising research.

If you've got the best idea in the world but no money to fund R&D what good is it? On the other hand if you have a mediocre idea and can develop it you get lots of cash?

[applegrove]

3. Exactly. There is a huge need out there for that battery. It is the only thing

holding back electric cars. Whoever invents it will make lots and lots of $$$$. No need for a government handout. Venture capitalists will be lining with money to the person(s) who invent this.

[stellanoir]

4. It is blatant unabashed bribery and pandering.

The writing has been on the wall about our over dependence on Arabic oil for well over 70 years. Our oily over lords have bought and summarily shelved every alternative energy innovation since then and that makes me ill.

This is BS.

[NYC_SKP]

5. It's not such a bad idea. There are precedents.

In the early 18th century, the British Parliament offered a £20,000 award to anyone who could reliably calculate a ship's longitude at sea.
John Harrison successfully solved the problem, but nearly died waiting to be paid.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Harrison


The Virgin Earth Challenge is a prize of $25m for whoever can demonstrate to the judges' satisfaction a commercially viable design which results in the removal of anthropogenic, atmospheric greenhouse gases so as to contribute materially to the stability of Earth’s climate.
http://www.virginearth.com/

I prefer the Virgin challenge to the government sponsored model, but both are types only add to the chances of something innovative coming to light.
Those who would pay the award have no costs unless the invention is successful, and inventors have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

The curious (and suspicious) thing about this story is that there may well be battery designs that fit the description but are being held in secret.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovonics>

It would be really unjust if those who've kept the technology from us were waiting for just such an occasion to release it, then take $300 million of our money for releasing it.
Maybe John has friends in such places?

[whistle]

6. What thing has McCain suggested?