Microsoft loses $32 billion in one day

Microsoft's market value took a $32 billion nose dive Friday. You may thing yes! Did they lose money because of bad products? Bad management? Crappy sales? Profits not meet expectations? Nope, sadly none are the reasons.

According to the Seattle Times:

Microsoft's stock closed at $24.15, down $3.10 a share, or 11.4 percent, after the Redmond software company indicated plans Thursday to invest more in its businesses — including a battle for the Internet with Google and Yahoo! — at the expense of higher short-term profits.

Basically Microsoft took this hit because they decided to invest to gain profits in the long term rather then the short term. God forbid they think about the future beyond the next quarter. This is a solid example why US businesses are falling apart. Microsoft can take this hit, but what about companies that can't? This is why layoffs are always the quick temp fix. Why canceling projects, short term ideas are employed. The alternative is to risk losing more value in the market then the action is worth. Such a "risk" could then doom a company. This is the sad state of US business policies. Our national ADD and impatience for results now rather then later. This is why we are losing ground to China and India and why are days as a "superpower" are going to end. To be punished for thinking long term is hubris beyond all repair and the nation will pay for it.