Patently obvious!

Patent's have been dwindling as companies, cut spending on research.

Obvious, but still sad.
http://www.economist.com/daily/news/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13010068&fsrc=nwl

Remember my article on the stimulus plan a few weeks back, I asked that patent research be given special attention, if we are going to start on major investments in all business--new and proposed. Especially with a renewable energy focus, we must have patent simplification if we must have all of that environmental and non-traditional spending on items in this stimulus, that do not stimulate business at the core.
See article here:
http://globalviewtoday.blogspot.com/2009/01/stimulus-plan-really.html

If we are going to have a shift in focus to things other than the goods and services in the primary market and well beyond the alternative market, patent simplification should be high on the agenda and touted to aid the movement of entrepreneurs and scientists, into this new area.

But, it has not and it is one of the MANY inconsistencies with this American stimulus plan.