Solyndra -- "Hate to say it, but I told ya so!" **

Frequent readers of this blog will recall my prior post (How NOT to develop alternative energy,), when I critiqued the current Adminsitration's practice of crony capitalism, e.g., for which the Federal Government selectively hands out taxpayer dollars  to green energy companies, especially those well-connected to the Obama Administration.  In the article I also forecast the demise of Solyndra, the darling of the solar industry, which received over $500 million in Department of Energy-backed loans  (yes, they were stimulus funds) to build a new solar panel manufacturing plant in Fremont, California.  There were so many reasons why this was a brilliant political decision (consult the blog post -- be advised that Obama, Governor Schwarzenegger, and Senator Boxer all were part of the festivities), and countless more why it was a horrible, wretched business decision, doomed to failure.  Once again, the marketplace delivered its unbiased, Darwinian, harsh message.  Solyndra filed for bankruptcy this week , unable to compete in the marketplace, and the taxpayers are out $500 million and change.*  Even the mainstream media is horrified at the waste of taxpayer dollars (see this video, this video, and multiple articles that come up via Google).

To say this is maddening is an understatement.  It doesn't surprise me that businesses try and get Government money; after all, such has been happening since the foundation of the Republic and was even predicted by
Benjamin Franklin.  The tragedy is that the current Administration, with all of its leftist tendencies, wholeheartedly gave Solyndra so much money, all because of the romantic notions that "green energy" conjures up in the heads and hearts of today's leftists.  Sheesh.

The Federal Government provides countless ways for companies to get funding, relatively easily, for good ideas -- Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts, DARPA seedling contracts, NRO Director's Innovation Initiative (DII) contracts, and countless others.  DefCon is certainly willing and able to help any and all clients pursue funding sources via these paths.  The dollar amounts are smaller, but the long-term opportunities are always excellent for ideas with merit, and you don't need to be a multimillionaire businessman, already cozy with the Obama Administration.

So, Solyndra, begone!  Trouble us no more.  And it is my fervent hope that the nation has learned a lesson, once again, that the Government should not be picking winners and losers in the economy.
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* I suppose we should be thankful that the Obama Administration, while having extreme socialistic tendencies, is not Stalinist.  Were such the case, the Administration would have banned competing import products, restricted the market share of American competitors, and FORCED the population at large to purchase Solyndra products.  Just image how effective THAT action would have been.  

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** This may well become the Obama Administration's largest scandal, dragging well into the 2012 election season.  FBI raids, favoritism due to excessive lobbying, favoritism because Solyndra's owner was a FOB (friend of Obama), ignored warnings of impending disaster, employee awareness that the company was doomed even as the money was being spent.  Even John Stewart of the Daily Show is using the Solyndra Scandal (as it's now called) as fodder for his evening show.  As for whether one should take comfort in the exposure of this corruption ... well, suffice it to say that eternal wisdom might well be a source of comfort..