‘steel imports are a threat to national security’
No doubt, certain industries can be vital to the ability of any nation to defend itself. For example, if a nation relies on foreign suppliers for crucial materials or manufacturing to build its ships, planes and weapons it can find itself materially unable to defend itself in time of war if those suppliers are native to adverse nations or allies of. This was a substantial problem in the Revolutionary war where the colonies had to secure arms and materials from outside as we were then predominantly an agricultural nation with little means of producing arms and supplies ourselves. Previously most all our manufactured goods were supplied by England, or by way of as forced on the colonies by England.
But that same reasoning applies not to just suppliers of materials and manufacturing, but the technologies those goods are built using. If the technologies of the other nations are meaningfully more advanced, all the native materials and manufacturing may do the country little good. Do we really want to fight a war with biplanes? That’s why it is of critical importance for America to maintain its competitive advantage in technology. To do that we need a patent system which rewards and encourages invention. The present patent system in America fails substantially to do that. For example, small entity issued patents and filed applications are down to about 10% of their historical shares, if not less and still falling. We believe then the American patent system is vital not only to the health of its economy, but to its ability to defend itself. So in our view the health of the patent system is at least as vital as the health of its manufacturing and is in fact the bedrock of manufacturing and industry in general. After all, there’s only so much leveling of the playing field that can be done by levying tariffs on imports. It’s not just about the price, it’s about the product too. At some point American goods will not sell here or anywhere else if the product is substantially inferior to imports -if not obsolete.
Let us then work together to restore the patent system and by it strengthen not only America’s economy and jobs market, but its very ability to defend itself.
For our position and the changes we advocate (the rest of the truth) to restore the patent system, or to join our effort, please visit us at https://aminventorsforjustice.wordpress.com/category/our-position/
or, contact us at aifj@mail.com
American Inventors for Justice 