Innovation is key to America staying a superpower. But it is missing an essential piece |
Opinion
Innovation is key to America staying a superpower. But it is missing an essential piece
Tech leadership relies on capital investment in manufacturing and workforce development
By George Landrith Fox News
Published August 14, 2026 5:00am EDT
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Former Wyoming Republican Sen. Malcolm Wallop once observed, "I don’t think the only place to fight for freedom is in the halls of Congress." The same can be said of innovation. America’s technological leadership is not secured only in research labs or startup incubators. It is also built in factories, machine shops, testing facilities and supply chains that transform bold ideas into real-world capabilities.
Washington talks constantly about innovation, but too often punishes the very capital investment, permitting, workforce development, energy production and industrial expansion that make innovation possible.
When people think of innovation, they often picture groundbreaking technologies or historic milestones. Recent developments like SpaceX’s record-breaking initial public offering or NASA’s continued progress on the Artemis program highlight an exciting era for aerospace. These achievements deserve recognition, but they also raise important questions about what actually drives innovation.
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Innovation is only as meaningful as a company’s ability to deliver it. A revolutionary design has limited impact if it cannot be manufactured efficiently, tested rigorously, or produced at the scale customers and government........