Anti-innovation bills in Washington, D.C. could sock it to Utah consumers, small businesses and retirees
by Doug Kelly
With soaring inflation, record-high gas prices, increasing interest rates, and supply chain issues, hardworking Americans across the country are struggling to keep up. Nevertheless, some members of Congress continue to push anti-innovation legislation that will not help stabilize prices or reduce inflation, but instead could increase the financial pain on consumers, small businesses, and public sector retirees â all while handing China an important edge in technology leadership....
The consequence of these bills would extend far beyond Utahâs borders. By binding the hands of U.S. tech companies with rules that donât apply to their authoritarian counterparts, Congress would be handing over Americaâs technological edge to our geopolitical adversaries. China has explicitly stated it wants to be the world leader in tech, and is strategically investing hundreds of billions to make sure it wins the race for the technologies of the future. It matters greatly which country builds the technological future.
Those lawmakers who prioritize hobbling American tech instead of reducing the cost of living are wildly out of step with voters. A recent Pew Research poll found that seven-in-ten Americans today feel the top problem facing our country is inflation, while a new American Edge/Ipsos poll found that nearly *all* voters could vote for candidates who support protecting small businesses (95% yes, could vote for); new jobs (95%); lowering inflation (94%); lower gas prices (93%); and ensuring U.S. tech companies are globally competitive (86%), but half of voters (50%) could *never* vote for a candidate who wants to break up U.S. tech companies.
Washington may be 2,000 miles away from the Beehive State, but every single Utahn will feel the sting of these anti-innovation bills if they pass. These misguided policies are a prime example of rushed, election year legislation that is both bad policy and bad politics. Congress needs to turn away from these anti-tech industry bills and instead focus on controlling inflation, strengthening the economy, and advancing policies that help accelerate U.S. innovation even faster. (Read More)
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