U.S. becoming less innovative as right wing takes control.

Let's face it, the Republicans have essentially vilified spending money on R&D and being smart. And it's starting to show. 

Edweek: According to a recent international study, our nation is becoming less innovative, at least compared to last year. After ranking 7th in 2011, the U.S. is ranked 10th in this year's Global Innovation Index, a massive report published by Insead, an international business school, and the World Intellectual Property Organization, an agency of the United Nations.

The report ranks 141 nations on nearly 100 factors related to innovation, in areas like "Business sophistication," "Human capital & research," and "Knowledge & technology outputs." Switzerland and Sweden are ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, for the second straight year. Rounding out the top five are Singapore, Finland, and the United Kingdom.

The survey is divided into 21 sub-groups which contain related metrics. In only "Creative intangibles" (No. 84), "Ecological sustainability" (No. 73), and "Trade & competition" (No. 69), does the U.S. rank worse than it does in two education sub-groups.

In a category related to K-12 education, the U.S. is ranked 31st, owing to low rankings in education expenditures. The U.S. ranks second in enrollment, but 74th in students graduating with science and engineering degrees.