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Gary Shapiro
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The Comeback: How Innovation Will Restore the American Dream Hardcover – Bargain Price, January 10, 2011

by Gary Shapiro (Author), Mark Cuban (Foreword)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 40 ratings
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America seems to be on a downward slide. Our government spends too much; our economy creates too little; and we aren't preparing our children to compete in a global marketplace. Yet our politicians - Republican and Democrat alike - just don't get it. While once-great cities fall into decay, Washington thrives, living off the hard work and tax dollars of the private sector. It's time for an American comeback -- and it starts with innovation.

Throughout its history, America's great innovators have been the drivers of our unsurpassed economic success. American innovation transformed a country of ragtag farmers into the epicenter of the world's technological progress. Innovation creates jobs, markets, and new industries where none existed before. Most importantly, innovation moves us forward as a nation, pushing us to succeed and strive for a better tomorrow. In short, innovation is the American Dream.

In The Comeback, Gary Shapiro shows us how to return innovation to its rightful place at the center of America's economic policy. The Comeback is a new blueprint for America's success.

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  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Beaufort Books
  4. Publication date
    January 10, 2011
  5. Dimensions
    1 x 6.25 x 9.25 inches
  6. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As head of the Consumer Electronics Association, first time author Shapiro might be described as a high-tech lobbyist, but readers hoping to learn about the latest innovations in the tech world are in for a disappointment. This is a book about policy, not technology, from an unabashed proponent of the conservative agenda. Shapiro begins with a fascinating personal anecdote from July 2008. He was in Qingdao, China when his Chinese counterpart, circumventing the tedious translation process, used a thumbs up-thumbs down gesture and said, in English, "China going up...U.S. going down." After initial outrage, Shapiro has come to agree. His prescription for success includes tried-and-true Republican remedies like curtailing the power of government and lowering corporate taxes. He opposes unemployment payments extension, subsidies of state liabilities, and "every increase in public pensions, Medicare, Social Security, and prescription drug and health-care coverage." Not only does he advocate raising the age of Social Security eligibility, but also instituting a means test. While his reflections on the introduction of digital technology are interesting, for the rest: caveat emptor. (Feb.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Review

Like a losing coach on "Friday Night Lights," [Gary Shapiro] sets out to create a playbook for restoring the U.S. to economic pre-eminence. Mr. Shapiro focuses on innovation, which he argues is the nation's great competitive advantage, the source of American exceptionalism. It is easy to think of innovation as something that just happens, but it is in fact embedded in a social and political matrix. In "The Comeback" he details the policies that, he believes, will allow innovation to flourish. His recipe is a familiar one but not yet familiar enough to engage the preoccupied minds of warring political parties in Washington. Why is it that less government is the right answer in the U.S. while government is a critical driver of China's economic success? Perhaps he should make that the subject of his next book.

- Alan Murray, The Wall Street Journal

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0055X6KSS
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Beaufort Books (January 10, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 1 x 6.25 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 40 ratings

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  1. Gary Shapiro

    Gary Shapiro

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    Gary Shapiro is president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)™, the U.S. trade association representing more than 2,200 consumer technology companies and which owns and produces CES® – The Global Stage for Innovation.

    Shapiro directs a staff of about 200 employees and thousands of industry volunteers, leading his organization’s promotion of innovation as a national policy to spur the economy, create jobs and cut the deficit. CTA advocates for a lower deficit, skilled immigration, free trade and policies that support innovative new business models. CTA does not seek government funding for industry.

    Shapiro authored CTA’s New York Times best-sellers, “Ninja Innovation: The Ten Killer Strategies of the World’s Most Successful Businesses” (HarperCollins, 2013) and “The Comeback: How Innovation will Restore the American Dream” (Beaufort, 2011). His upcoming book, "Ninja Future: Secrets to Success in the New World of Innovation" (HarperCollins, 2018), will be released December 31 and is available now for pre-order. Through these books and television appearances, and as a columnist whose more than 1,000 opinion pieces have appeared in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post, Shapiro has helped direct policymakers and business leaders on the importance of innovation in the U.S. economy. He is considered an “influencer” on LinkedIn and has more than 280,000 followers.

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  2. Gary Shapiro

    Gary Shapiro

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Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
40 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

toddat
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging and comprehensive
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2011
Verified Purchase
The Comeback is one of those rare looks at our political economy that is simultaneously well researched, balanced, engaging, educational and accessible to a wide range of audiences. The author utilizes the totality of his deep and rich set of personal and business experiences, along with a number of well chosen historical examples and anecdotes, to illuminate the issues and put creative prescriptions on the table. When it comes to prescriptions, The Comeback provides the most comprehensive set of directions for policy makers and regulators, and also gives business leaders a playbook for pushing the offensive to create a better America, a more innovative America. The narrative is infused with energy, stories and recognition of actors along the way who are making a difference.

Consumed in any order, The Comeback is a great complement to another terrific book  Winner-Take-All Politics . I would encourage you to read both.
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Muir
5.0 out of 5 stars Innovation in the USA - Gary Shapiro says it all!
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2011
Verified Purchase
Like the automotive industry, the consumer electronics industry lives or dies by its ability to respond quickly to global markets and emerging consumer wants and needs. Gary Shapiro's treatise is an honest and personal appraisal of the opportunities facing US product designers and developers in responding to this challenge. Having worked with Gary over much of the past decade, I can personally attest to his consuming passion and detailed knowledge and understanding about what factors drives this key global 'wealth creating' industry. The continuing success and global standing of the annual CES trade show in Las Vegas remains an enduring testament to his personal commitment to the future growth of consumer electronics and ICT applications, underpinned by creative innovation. This book is well worth reading because it reflects the views not of a commentator, but of someone working at the 'coal face' of innovation in the US.
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Michael A. Dwyer
2.0 out of 5 stars Didn't Really Make Me Think
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2011
Verified Purchase
Yes, we need more innovation. This breezy op-ed by a lawyer isn't going to help get us there. It was fun to see how many times he contradicted himself though.
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James Eckard
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read with encouraging ideology
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2017
Verified Purchase
Gary Shapiro uses common sense and non-partisan arguments to provide a framework on how our nation can resurge as a superpower. I agree with Mr. Shapiro's comments and full-heartedly believe that the only way to maintain our competitiveness and wealth is through private industry and innovation.
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David E. Leibowitz
5.0 out of 5 stars A Playbook for our Nation's Recovery
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2011
Verified Purchase
The publication of The Comeback by Gary Shapiro couldn't come at a more critical time in our nation's history. While our country "appears" to be on the road to an economic recovery, it's foundation and infrastructure remain in rapid decline as we grow our national debt beyond already perilous levels. The Comeback underscores the importance of our nurturing an environment where entrepreneurship and innovation can not only thrive, but also enhance our welfare and standing in today's global economy.

Through his long-standing position as CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association and its annual International Consumer Electronics Show, Shapiro has had a cat-bird seat on how technology and innovation have improved our lives and productivity. In The Comeback, Shapiro builds upon these experiences, laying out a roadmap of common sense recommendations that should be "must reading" by our government officials and policy makers, tackling such challenges as reducing our deficit, empowering small businesses, promoting greater emphasis on math and science education, relaxing immigration restrictions on scientists and engineers, reallocating U.S. spectrum for wireless purposes, and transforming our health care system through technological innovation and know-how.

While one may not agree with every one of Shapiro's recommendations, each of these issues must be tackled as soon as possible, and Shapiro's views should at minimum help shape the debate and foster consensus solutions. Delay simply is no longer an option.
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Creativity Sage
1.0 out of 5 stars Not as Advertised!! Very Deceitful.
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2012
Verified Purchase
THIS BOOK HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH INNOVATION! It is about the author's very narrow political views. He is not an innovator, he is a lobbyist! HE IS PART OF THE PROBLEM! The first 15% of the book is boilerplate Tea Party doctrine disguised as a non-partisan discussion of innovation.

As an expert in the field of innovation and a corporate (Fortune 200) innovator with over two dozen patents, I know something about the topic. I am also a former member of the Board of Directors of the Product Development and Management Association -- the world's leading authority on and proponent of innovation.

I also need to point out that I am an independent voter who has voted Republican more often than Democrat. I was very much in favor of impeaching Clinton. But truth is truth and this book is based on poor logic and a clear and disastrous political agenda.

Just to set the record straight, I feel the need to point out some of the false information presented with great passion in this book, because it sets the stage for making bad decisions. Each point that follows is a direct rebuttal for a point in the book. One of his greatest assertions is that our debt is crippling us and the Obama administration is only making things worse. Nothing could be further from the truth and the FACTS.

* The US never accumulated debt in peacetime prior to the Reagan administration.
* In 1992, when Clinton became President we were in a recession and things looked very grim.
* In eight years, Clinton not only paid off the debt but created the largest surplus in US history and 23 million jobs along the way.
* Thanks to the Bush administration, the following eight years put us in another recession and on the brink of total economic collapse.
* In four years, the Obama administration has created twice as many jobs as the Bush administration did in eight years.
* Obama is the most fiscally responsible President since Eisenhower and the rate of increase in the size of government is far below that of any President in the last 70 years.
* Obamacare has resulted in the lowest increase in health care costs in over fifty years.
* Obama has reduced the cost of Medicare by nearly a Trillion Dollars by cracking down on fraud.
* Historically, the economy prospers under Democratic Administrations and suffers under Republican Administrations.
* Contrary to all their efforts to tell you otherwise, the record shows that it is the Republicans who spend like drunken sailors when they have the opportunity.
* Over the last 50 years the Republicans have controlled the White House more years than the Democrats.
* During that same time period the Democrats have created more than twice as many jobs as the Republicans.

The last hundred years of US history have clearly demonstrated what works and what doesn't. When the economy is in trouble, government spending stimulates the economy and helps it get back on its feet. When times are good, government can shrink without hurting the economy. Austerity is not a reasonable approach to an economic crisis. It caused the great depression and has exacerbated the economic problems of Europe in recent years. The lessons of history are crystal clear on this topic. Debt is not the problem in and of itself. It needs to be evaluated from a larger perspective. When debt funds future growth, it is properly used. Imagine how hard it would be to own a home if you had to pay cash. The debt that you owe for your mortgage allows you to prosper in other ways while paying about the same for housing as you would if you were renting.

Another point of historical record. When President Reagan was at the height of his acting career, he was in the 93% tax bracket. This bracket no longer exists and hopefully never will again, but it shaped the future of Reagan's life and ours as well. Because of it, Reagan believed that people should be able to keep most of their income without government interference. His point was well taken at the time but has been abused in the years since. Reagan was against regulation in general but without some important regulations we end up with things like the 2008 mortgage crisis. It was Reagan's personal experience that made him a one issue President and started the common wisdom that Government is bad. I voted for him both times but have been very disappointed by how his ideas have been distorted and taken to extremes.

As defined by our Founding Fathers, the proper role of Government is to provide for the COMMON good. This is a very powerful concept and should be how we evaluate policy. Does it provide for the common good? In the case of government spending on infrastructure, yes it does. Until 2009 this type of government spending was strongly supported by BOTH political parties. It is only because of the obstructionist policies of the Republican Congress that we are still in economic difficulty.

There is also another important piece of the puzzle that the author doesn't seem to be aware of. Debt is not our problem -- the FED is. In 1908, we had an economic crisis very similar to the 2008 crisis. The economy was in free-fall because of a failed attempt to capture the copper market. Bankers like J.P. Morgan and John D. Rockerfeller stepped in and firmed up the economy. They then began an all out campaign to convince the Government to turn over its Constitutional authority to regulate the flow of money to them. They in turn promised to prevent future economic problems. This effort culminated with the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 and the institution of income tax that same year. A few years later, we had the great depression -- not exactly a resounding success. Since the FED was created the buying power of the US dollar has decreased by 96%. The economic impact of the FED can be summarized by noting that the inflation rate multiplied by the Gross Domestic Product is the FED's take each year for doing absolutely nothing. All that money goes into the pockets of the banking families that own the FED. This is why Ron Paul has been shouting about it for over thirty years, but most people aren't paying any attention. Even the Republican Party has marginalized the one Candidate who had a real case to make. Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy warned us about this economic stranglehold. Eisenhower did it in his final address to the nation. Kennedy never made it that far.

If you understand the FED, you understand how badly the game is rigged and that many points made in this book are just superficial and counter-productive.

=========

Though the author never really talks about innovation, I will.

There is a very real and serious problem related to commercial innovation. The status quo is more profitable in the short term and corporate officers answer to shareholders who have only short term profit on their minds. This is why our greatest innovations come from small start up companies. It is also why private companies can do what makes sense for the long term but corporations can't.

Case in point, SAS is a financial software company located in Cary, NC. It is a privately held company and its two founders rank high among Americas billionaire entrepreneurs. Their philosophy from the start has been that their employees are their most valuable resource. They constantly strive to create a working environment that dramatically reduces the stress in the lives of their employees. Free on-site health care without any paperwork, on-site recreational facilities that are used during work hours, on-site day care, on-site car care, and a cafeteria with gourmet food at a fast food price are just a few of the perks. As a result, they have far lower healthcare costs than similar-sized publicly-held companies. They have low turn over, rarely have to recruit for open positions, and have had steady growth for many years -- usually above 15% annually. 60 Minutes has done several reports on their success and values. The policies that they have implemented could send the CEO of a publicly-traded company to jail if stockholders saw it as a misuse of corporate funds.

In the early days of our country's history, Corporations had a Charter that had to be renewed annually or a time frame set by the local government. In order to renew their Charter, these Corporations had to show evidence that they were a benefit to the community and local economy. A return to this type of thinking would solve most of our economic and social problems. Our current laws state that Corporate Executives have an obligation to optimize profits for the shareholders. If this regulation were changed to one with a longer term perspective, we would all benefit.

As a corporate innovator, I was constantly faced with the difficulty of implementing new product strategies in a short-term environment. As one of my bosses once stated so eloquently, "You don't stop to clean your gun in the middle of a battle and you don't develop new products when you aren't making the numbers."

It is this crisis management attitude that hampers innovation. What we need is rational thought rather than emotional rhetoric based on bad data.

If the government can reduce the cost of health care, that positively impacts every company in the US -- big and small. The cost of health care has been a concern to all levels of management for more years than most Americans imagine. It is real and it can't be solved by individuals or even States. It needs the power and regulation of our Government "FOR THE COMMON GOOD."

Likewise, reducing the expense and red-tape associated with patents as Obama has done, helps everyone. Because of my experience, many people have asked my opinion about patenting their ideas. In the past, I have always recommended that they save their money. It is just too expensive to file, defend and maintain patents. That may be changing. What we don't need is the worn out argument that ALL regulation and ALL government policies are harmful to business. This just isn't true.

Corporate America is constantly faced with trying to find qualified people for certain jobs. It is not unusual to spend more than a year searching for the right person when it comes to management and professional positions such as engineers. We need LOW-COST high-quality public education to solve these problems. Lower college tuition helps corporations and small business alike. When we invest in these types of government programs, we all benefit.

As President Obama has rightfully pointed out, investments in infrastructure help all of us. Our roads and bridges make it possible to ship products and supplies. President Eisenhower was the champion of the Interstate Highway system and the Space Program. He understood how these government programs enrich all of our lives. This book talks about the wonders of electronics. It doesn't mention that the technology that makes it possible is a by-product and evolution of the Space Program.

The Apollo Missions included the use of power tools for creating structures in Space and taking core samples of the Moon. These tools needed a power supply. There was no battery at that time that could deliver the power needed at an acceptable weight. Black & Decker and GE joined forces to create rechargeable NI-Cad batteries that had the power to weight ratio needed. Years later these batteries became the power source for cordless power tools. Still later, the technology was extended to cell phones and other electronic devices. Ni-Cad batteries were then replaced by newer designs that had an even better ratio of power to weight. The evolution of technology has continued and now even electric cars are possible. The bottom line here is that our massive electronics industry wouldn't exist in its present state if it had not been for the government funded Space Program. Similar connections can be made for all our modern conveniences, toys, and industries.

A cabinet post -- Secretary of Innovation -- would be a major step in the right direction. The process of innovation is well known but poorly practiced because the obstacles to innovation are so great. A concerted effort by the government to foster innovation would be beneficial. Canada and many Asian countries have very successful programs that support and aid innovation. We need to level the playing field.

THIS BOOK DOES NOTHING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OR FURTHER THE CAUSE OF INNOVATION. To the contrary it suggests a path to certain destruction of our economy and another Great Depression.
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