OPINION

America is overdue for a wake-up call, because our leadership in technological innovation is at risk.  Recently AeA, the largest trade association representing the U.S. high-tech industry, released the report, "Losing the Competitive Advantage?" It focuses on competitiveness variables that, taken in isolation, may be easy to brush aside.

But the cumulative effect of these trends is compelling: if the status quo is maintained, America's position as the world's technology leader is unsustainable.

Even if the United States were doing everything right, we still face unprecedented challenges from a world that has caught on and is catching up. But we are not doing everything right, not by a long shot.

We need to open our eyes to what's happening around the world.

They learned to compete: The good news is, many countries have listened to U.S. pleas to adopt free markets, opening their economies to American products and services. So what is the troubling news for the United States? Many countries listened. China, India and many others now aggressively compete against the United States for jobs, talent and innovation -- or soon will.

Leading the world in science and technology is not our manifest destiny. We have to constantly work at it.

This includes rededicating ourselves to technologies that will advance our society 10, 20, even 40 years from now. The key is research and development, beginning at the national level.

The Internet, Doppler radar, and GPS -- to name a few -- were born of federally funded research. Yet since 1985 this funding has declined as a percentage of GNP, and priorities have shifted away from technology-related research and development.

Federal funding supports ideas whose commercial viability is often years away, but when that viability occurs, it provides life-enhancing products and industries unimaginable when the research began.

We have to renew our commitment to technical education, and shatter the stereotype that science and engineering are only for geeks. Our competitors don't hold this attitude, and are churning out engineers at a record pace.

And it's time to stop saying, "Our kids' math and science scores are really awful. We should do something. So, did the Kings win last night?"

This is a hometown issue: Innovation fuels economic growth, and historically America was brilliant at innovation. But that lead is slipping fast. Confronting the issues threatening U.S. competitiveness can no longer be deferred.

The Sacramento region -- with its small but promising technology sector -- stands to gain or lose big as the global technology market intensifies. Let's not let U.S. competitiveness decline, taking us down with it.

Sacramento Business Journal