◼ After Harry Reid scuttles patent reform, tech companies look elsewhere for a political solution. - Wall St. Journal (image source)
Washington is a disaster zone for innovation, especially for the software firms that make up the growing parts of the U.S. economy. There has been no progress in meeting Silicon Valley’s desperate needs, including patent reform and open immigration for skilled workers.
As a result, technology companies long associated with liberal causes are switching loyalties. In 2010 Democratic candidates for national office got 55% of contributions from tech-company political-action committees. This year Republicans have received 52%. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, companies with PACs giving more to Republicans than to Democrats include Google, Facebook and Amazon.
...Silicon Valley doesn’t need much from government, but it does need reform in areas where government policy has failed. Even liberal Democrats in the tech industry have been mugged by the reality of how Washington now operates.
