It depends.

1. Laid-off American researchers could be your competitors. They have Ph.D., years of research, a few patents under their belt (as inventors), and perfect English.

2. Patent attorneys need clients to provide subject matters worthy of patenting. If corporate America keeps sending out pink slips, the productivity will drop; patent-worthy materials will be harder to come by, and less need for patent attorneys to draft patent applications.

3. Filing and maintaining a patent is not cheap. Neither is hiring an attorney. If the economy could not snap out of the downward spiral, there is less and less money to go around, including the patent fee and attorney fee.

4. I think the US economy needs a special Viagra, which doesn't make a company sexier, but can make it more competitive. We need REAL stuffs that can cure diseases, increase fuel efficiency, reduce carbon footprints, detect financial frauds, track down tax shelters, or SOFT stuffs that can keep people financially accountable and morally healthy. We are in this boat together, whether you are the President or the homeless, CEO or laid-off workers, Jewish or Chinese, legal or illegal alien, gay or straight. Are you ready?

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