Comments on: Sachs: Government Push Needed to Spur Environmental, Anti-Poverty Technologies http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/02/sachs-government-push-needed-to-spur.html Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:18:28 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: juanramon-54 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/02/sachs-government-push-needed-to-spur.html#comment-4418 juanramon-54 Sun, 24 Feb 2008 23:28:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/02/sachs-government-push-needed-to-spur-environmental-anti-poverty-technologies/#comment-4418 Sorry, people. We don't have enough money to do any of this good stuff. We need to devote every spare dollar to enabling more people to achieve the American Dream of Homeownership.<br/><br/>Seriously--our U.S. gov't will have the money to devote to these kinds of initiatives only if we, the people, are willing to reward instead of punish leaders and would-be leaders who are willing to talk about raising taxes to pay for them. Like that's gonna happen. Sorry, people. We don’t have enough money to do any of this good stuff. We need to devote every spare dollar to enabling more people to achieve the American Dream of Homeownership.

Seriously–our U.S. gov’t will have the money to devote to these kinds of initiatives only if we, the people, are willing to reward instead of punish leaders and would-be leaders who are willing to talk about raising taxes to pay for them. Like that’s gonna happen.

]]> By: RK http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/02/sachs-government-push-needed-to-spur.html#comment-4402 RK Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:55:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/02/sachs-government-push-needed-to-spur-environmental-anti-poverty-technologies/#comment-4402 A problem equally as large as the need for international cooperation is the fact that the technologies and systems, once developed, will require massive infrastructure changes which can <br/>only be funded by governments. The governments <br/>which would make the biggest difference represent <br/>huge and still poor populations.(at least on a per capita income basis). <br/> So in order to fund these changes, an enormous<br/>wealth transfer will have to take place. Selling this<br/>transfer to the citizens of the G7 will prove to be the hardest task. A problem equally as large as the need for international cooperation is the fact that the technologies and systems, once developed, will require massive infrastructure changes which can
only be funded by governments. The governments
which would make the biggest difference represent
huge and still poor populations.(at least on a per capita income basis).
So in order to fund these changes, an enormous
wealth transfer will have to take place. Selling this
transfer to the citizens of the G7 will prove to be the hardest task.

]]> By: Francois http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/02/sachs-government-push-needed-to-spur.html#comment-4399 Francois Sun, 24 Feb 2008 07:06:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/02/sachs-government-push-needed-to-spur-environmental-anti-poverty-technologies/#comment-4399 "Many roll their eyes at the mention of government intervention or subsidies. Yet no one seems to mind that drug research is funded to a considerable degree by the US government."<br/><br/>It is worth remembering also the Apollo project. Entirely funded by Uncle Sam, yet, how many new technologies were developed to solve difficult problems? This knowledge was then captured, refined and used for profit by the private sector, which is the thing in which the private sector does best. If I recall correctly, each dollar invested in Apollo returned something like 150 USD over the next 20 years. Not a bad ROIC I daresay.<br/><br/>Those who roll their eyes aren't looking at all the new jobs and industries that could be created by an intense and sustained effort in R&D. When the finger point to the sky, the fool looks at the finger. “Many roll their eyes at the mention of government intervention or subsidies. Yet no one seems to mind that drug research is funded to a considerable degree by the US government.”

It is worth remembering also the Apollo project. Entirely funded by Uncle Sam, yet, how many new technologies were developed to solve difficult problems? This knowledge was then captured, refined and used for profit by the private sector, which is the thing in which the private sector does best. If I recall correctly, each dollar invested in Apollo returned something like 150 USD over the next 20 years. Not a bad ROIC I daresay.

Those who roll their eyes aren’t looking at all the new jobs and industries that could be created by an intense and sustained effort in R&D. When the finger point to the sky, the fool looks at the finger.

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