Government regulation stifles the march forward of technology all the time. Nuclear energy, stem cell and DNA-based research, consumer supersonic flight, NIMBY

Government regulation stifles the march forward of technology all the time. Nuclear energy, stem cell and DNA-based research, consumer supersonic flight, NIMBYism and zoning regulation, patent regulation-enabled trolling, copyright abuse, the tragic story of Google Books, fracking, the lack of technology innovation in post-WWII Europe, any historical or current example of communism, etc. I could go on. Innovation only happens in risk-tolerant and fair markets. A good rule of thumb: Regulation encourages innovation when it supports risk-taking and supports fairness. It stifles innovation when trying to reduce risks or reduce fairness by preferencing incumbent winners.