We're always bending over backwards for a handful of companies instead of promoting a healthy market. We should of created a race with multiple companies to build the best chip factories.
> We should of created a race with multiple companies to build the best chip factories.
That's insanely expensive. Today the only companies that make leading edge chips are TSMC, Samsung, and Intel. Global Foundries (headquartered in US) dropped out a few years ago because it was too expensive. How on earth are you going to fund "a race with multiple companies to build the best chip factories"? It's going to cost multiples of whatever the intel subsidy is.
Multiples of $8 billion? Oh no, where would we find the money? If this is truly a national security issue, perhaps some of the DoD’s ~$150 billion R&D budget could go towards it.
Accelerated consolidation was policy for decades. Clinton Admin's dept of defence pushed it really hard, esp for defense contractors. To reduce costs, make our nat'l champions more competitive internationally, make our hair more luxuriant, and cure rickets. Because reasons.
Now the pendullum might finally be swinging back towards pro-competition and healthy open markets.
