DoNotLetBoundariesBindUs

Recently at the "Energy and Resources Institute climate conference in New Delhi, Tom Friedman heard ..“Hey, Mr. Friedman,” “would you like to take a little spin around New Delhi in our car?”

Oh, I say, I’ve heard that line before. Ah, they say, but you haven’t seen this car before. It’s a plug-in electric car that is also powered by rooftop solar panels — and the two young women, recent Yale grads, had just driven it all over India in a “climate caravan” to highlight the solutions to global warming being developed by Indian companies, communities, campuses and innovators, as well as to inspire others to take action._____________________________________________________________________________________

Regardless of how you feel about Friedman, be keenly aware of protectionism. We will gravitate to it in times like these, but it is the last thing we need to do. Consider this ... per the above situation.. we have educated these "non-Americans" and anxiously sent them back to their homeland to develop technologies in emerging markets that we will someday be forced to buy. We need to understand inclusion...from a business perspective. If a valuable market emerges, regardless of who uncovers it, we need to harness it. America needs to once again create a business environment that supports innovation. If a Dubai born scholar discovers the path to a scalable solar automobile business, then we need to create and open the conditions in America to produce those automobiles. The "invented here" bias needs to be universal and inclusive. In times like these, even if it feels counter intuitive, we must protect capitalism. America must be the "go to" place to develop new markets, new technologies, new - scalable businesses...we need to found them and we need to grow them...It is dangerous and narrow to dwarf or stagnate competition. Especially if we do it to protect the American worker. this in the long run will make us weaker, not stronger. We cannot lead if we do not innovate. And when I say innovate, I mean anyone who innovates on American soil regardless of their place of origin. The only requirement is that peace prevail.