The loan comprises just 1.3% of DOE’s overall loan portfolio. To date, Solyndra is the only loan that’s known to be troubled.
Compare that to the loan portfolio of the private banks these days.
BTW, it was a loan guarantee to Solyndra so the government is on the hook only if there are no assets left to repay the bank loans.
But yeah, the government can’t take any risk supporting our innovators… so don’t be surprised when HP’s computer division so sold off to Acer and Motorola gets bought by Huawei.[/quote]
Brian: Completely false narrative, accompanied by an equally false threat. First off, government best supports creativity and innovation through R&D programs, not by picking winners and losers on the commercial side.
Second, the threat of HP selling off to China has what to do with the government, exactly? HP is a viable, on-going commercial enterprise that makes a profit. HP at present is not in any way an example of government support of “innovation”. Completely specious and not remotely relevant.
Government should fund and actively support R&D and then let the market pick the drivers. Both sides of this equation play to their strengths.
