I am attending the American Legislative Exchange Council's annual meeting, and listened to VP contender Tim Pawlenty, Governor of Minnesota, deliver a speech over the noon hour. Pawlenty laid out a plan for America to remain competitive in a global economy. He believes we can't compete in regard to either cost (other countries pay too low for labor) or volume (other countries have a far bigger population). But he believes we have a competitive advantage when it comes to intelligence and innovation as long as we reform our education system and maintain a commitment to freedom.