Property and patent rights have taken a hit in the U.S. – so much so that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Intellectual Property Center announced the U.S. dropped to tenth place in its annual worldwide ranking of countries that protect patent rights. Our government needs to empower – not discourage – individuals to create and be innovative, says Tea Party Patriots Co-Founder Jenny Beth Martin says in her latest column.

The Hill has the commentary:

What happens when the protections and incentives you have long afforded inventors begin to weaken? Predictably, you get fewer inventions. According to recent data from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Chinese patent applications jumped 45 percent in 2016, while U.S. patent applications actually declined by one percent.

The United States is losing its edge as the leader in innovation across the globe. As our government officials have taken actions across the board to devalue patents and innovation, it’s not just manufacturing jobs that have been lost to other nations, but our technological advantage.

Why would the Obama administration deliberately devalue the worth of patents and innovation? To please its corporate patrons in Silicon Valley, which, in many cases, don’t invent things themselves, but find innovative ways of using things invented by others. These tech behemoths support policies that lower the value of patents, so they can lower the value (and, therefore, the price) of the patents they license or buy.

The U.S. needs to again become the leader in innovation and manufacturing – and protect men and women’s ideas so those same men and women can pursue the American dream and make the world a better place. Click here to get involved and help Tea Party Patriots urge our leaders to restore respect for property and patent rights!