What should a rational U.S. technology policy include? Very simple:

• Honor education.
• Pay educators.
• Invest in Big Science, big dreams.
• Turn scientists and engineers (even young ones) into stars.

Fortunately, someone gets it.

Dean Kamen (right) gets it.

Yeah, the Segway guy. Here's how he puts it on the home page of the educational organization he founded, US First:

"Create a world where science and technology are celebrated... where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes..."

I can't say it any better.

Best of all, his words are backed by action. What follows is my personal testimony to this:

At last weekend's FIRST Robotics contest near Atlanta, notice the awards for "rookie all-star" and "regional seed #2" to Henry Grady High School.

My daughter Robin (left) is on that team.

For the last several months she has been coming home (often very late), and increasingly excited. Her imagination has been fired by learning, for the first time in many years -- by science. If she switches her career track back toward math and science, this contest gets the credit. Kamen backs words with action, and action is what we need.

If you must be involved in politics the message should be simple, and it needs to be backed, as Kamen's words are backed, by real action. End political support to the bastards who created this situation. Find better candidates and take your country back from these idiots.

Time is running out. Give us no more rhetoric. Act now.