Tech Funds
David Rotman's cover story on technology funding in the federal stimulus bill ("Can Technology Save the Economy?" May/June 2009) generated a lively discussion online, with many readers criticizing the legislation and its goals. One commenter objected less to the billions that will be spent than to who will be handing out the money:

The issue for innovation and economic stimulus is not with how much money is invested, or in what industries, but how and with whom. The problem is that our tech transfer system is fundamentally flawed due to the influence by the entrenched over our political system and federal government, resulting in what we've seen in industry after industry--incremental innovation, when in fact the signs are clear that we need revolutionary innovation. ... As this piece suggests, those of us on the front lines of real innovation--who are not too big to fail and are authentically attempting to overcome our many serious hurdles as a society--have nothing but barriers confronting us.
markm on 04/21/2009 05:24 p.m.