Our current government legal structure encourages short-term gains over long term gains, so that's what companies are doing.
I have watched as my employer has eviscerated our manufacturing and research labs. It has not been pretty. Many wonderful scientists have been laid off. Sad, very sad.
Yes, it is. And, our schools aren't really developing kids to want to be scientists, as preparing for science is hard work and our schools are discouraging hard work. We continue to train the new scientists for the world, but don't develop our own because the only market for them seems to be government or academia.