Keeping America First in Innovation
The year is off to a strong start for innovation in America. The newly-released 2018 IP Index named the United States the best global economy at protecting intellectual property (IP) of the 50 economies benchmarked. Still, America must take additional strides to retain the top slot. Today at CPAC, President Trump will share a glimpse of his vision for America. We hope that vision includes strengthening the American IP system.
In the United States today, IP-intensive industries employ more than 45 million Americans, account for 74% of U.S. exports, and make up $5.8 trillion in GDP. From software technology to lifesaving medications to inspiring artwork, Americans from coast to coast work every day to improve lives through creativity and innovation. During last month’s State of the Union address, President Trump recognized this valuable work, vowing to “protect American workers and American intellectual property.”
From trade secrets and copyrights to patents and trademarks, IP is the lifeblood of dynamic businesses across the country. The stories of American creators and innovators succeeding in the global marketplace are the stories of The American Dream, and no one knows that better than those tinkering away in labs, studios, and garages. They deserve an intellectual property system that protects their investments in their craft.
America has long been known as the Land of Opportunity, a moniker that still rings true today. By strengthening America’s IP climate, President Trump can further bolster the United States as a place where innovation and creativity are heralded and rewarded.
As the president said earlier this year, “If you work hard, if you believe in yourself, if you believe in America, then you can dream anything, you can be anything, and together, we can achieve absolutely anything.”
We spoke with exhibitors at CPAC to decide: is CPAC right on IP? Here’s what they had to say.
