Competitiveness & Innovation

Hillary Rodham Clinton (Democrat)

Clinton has promised to enhance America's leadership in science. She plans to spur innovation with increased research and development (R&D) funding for NSF, DOE, DOD, and NIH, and has said that her agenda will also focus on improving the U.S. workforce. She proposes to require federal research agencies to set aside 8 percent of discretionary funding for high-risk research; make the R&D tax credit permanent; increase the number of NSF fellowships; and increase the number of women and minorities in science professions.

John Edwards (Democrat)

Edwards stated that "the single most important factor for America's future prosperity is investment in education, science, technology and innovation." His platform includes tax credits, patent reform, increased research and development R&D spending, and innovation through a new "energy economy."

Mike Gravel (Democrat)

Gravel has stated that he will maintain funding at its current level for scientific research and space exploration.

Rudy Giuliani (Republican)

Giuliani believes that low taxes stimulate economic growth and foster innovation, and as President he would work to reduce corporate tax rates and regulatory burden. He has pledged to expand the number of H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers.

Mike Huckabee (Republican)

Huckabee's view on innovation includes a pledge to increase visas for highly-skilled and highly-educated applicants.

Duncan Hunter (Republican)

Hunter views the potential for the United States to lead in global competitiveness through innovations in alternative energy.

Dennis Kucinich (Democrat)

Kucinich has laid out plans for several technical initiatives to spur American innovation in the areas of renewable energy, pollution control, and open source software and media. His proposed steps toward retaining American jobs amidst expanding global competition include ending American participation in North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as well as the Word Trade Organization (WTO), coalitions which he claims enable multi-national corporations to export jobs.

John McCain (Republican)

McCain has noted that "Innovation is fueled by risk capital, skilled workers, incentives for entrepreneurs, a light regulatory framework, and open access to markets." McCain sees opportunity for the United States to advance its competitiveness through export markets for advanced energy technologies. McCain has often supported increasing immigration to the United States, including expansion of the H-1B visa program.

Barack Obama (Democrat)

Obama's innovation platform concentrates on improving U.S. competitiveness. Key factors on his agenda include improving science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce. He also focuses on increasing R&D in energy and improving information technology to encourage faster exchange of ideas and increase transparency in the government. Obama proposes to make the R&D tax credit permanent and to improve the H-1B visa program.

Ron Paul (Republican)

Paul's ideas on maintaining competitiveness can be viewed within the larger prism of his support for lower taxes and a smaller federal government.

Bill Richardson (Democrat)

Richardson plans to renew emphasis on science and technology (S&T) and to establish new incentives for innovation through tax credits, federal R&D funding, innovation clusters, and STEM education proposals.

Mitt Romney (Republican)

Romney opened his campaign in February with a speech at the Henry Ford museum stating that "innovation and transformation have been at the heart of America's success" and claiming that if elected he would regain the American spirit of ingenuity. Emphasizing math and science education is part of Romney's plan for Global Economic Competition, although most of his strategy on the issue focuses around tax cuts. Romney encourages bringing specialized expertise to the United States by increasing the number of H-1B visas issued to foreigners, and has coupled this with an emphasis on reforming immigration laws to end illegal immigration.

Fred Thompson (Republican)

Thompson argues that keeping taxes low will provide a successful strategy for promoting economic growth and enhancing American competitiveness in the global economy. He has stated that the current rate of government spending is unsustainable, and aims to create a more limited, more effective federal government. In June 2007, Thompson stated that "We're not afraid of globalization. It works to our benefit. We innovate more and invest in that innovation better than anywhere else in the world."