Well, if you read my previous post about Obama’s science policy, you probably won’t find McCain’s too shocking, either.
Related to this is an effort to analyze Congressmen’s science policies. It covers only a handful of states, but includes candidates as well as incumbents. The policies of most of the people listed (in blue) appears to be pulled from their websites, but some people (in green) answered a questionnaire (especially in Maryland). Like the Science Debate questionnaire, the questions are loaded. But, some of the answers are actually thoughtful – you might say shocking considering that they are seeking office.
(Links via Nature blogs)
Finally, there’s this BS co-written by a Congressman and Symantec’s CTO:
What our nation truly needs is a recommitment to enhancing our investment in research and education. Without this recommitment, the United States stands to lose the innovative leadership upon which the most powerful and successful economy on earth has been built.
… Now we must do what is right for our nation by enacting the [proposed increase in federal science spending] into law and fully funding the America COMPETES Act. We should also make the R&D tax credit permanent.
Yes – innovation has been a keystone of everything good about this country. But the above statement ignores the historical record and economic truths. Innovation in the US has thrived when the government has been least involved. Innovation requires saving, investment, and capital improvements, while government intervention necessarily results in misallocation of resources and discourages saving and investment.
12:25 pm on September 16, 2008
