Regulation

Showing once again there's no meaningful difference between parties, Mitt Romney calls for an increase in the minimum wage.

The patent battle to control early airplanes.

"The effect on flight innovation was more than noticeable at the time. The patent war they unleashed took the steam out of the budding industry. In 1912, only 90 aviators were in the air each day in the United States. Across the pond in France, nearly 1,000 airmen were flying, testing and further developing their craft."

Yet the Wright brothers stayed ahead. Still, where might we be today if patents hadn't slowed innovation in air travel and everything else.