America's 21st Century Sputnik Moment

When the Soviet Union launched its Sputnik 1 satellite in 1957, the communist superpower won the first battle of the Space Race. This "Sputnik moment" spurred the United States to invest heavily in a desperate come-from-behind initiative to promote technological innovation. It paid off when we put the first man on the moon 12 years later.

Today, our policymakers face another rival power pursuing a decisive technological edge, China. So far, however, our leaders don't seem inclined to propel America to new technological frontiers. In some cases, they are even promoting policies that would cripple American innovation.