Guess what? Obama is for spending a lot of money on science and technology in the US.

Science Debate 2008 – the group of people who failed to get the Presidential Candidates to debate issues surrounding science this spring – has asked Obama and McCain to fill out a questionnaire about science issues, and Obama has just responded. This is the same group that refused to invite Ron Paul to their debate because he wasn’t a “viable” candidate. The fact is, that a debate between all of the other candidates would have revealed very little difference between them, as I’m sure we’ll see when McCain answers his questions. Their responses will vary only in degree – how much money? which research should be funded? – not in kind – should the government fund science research? You can see this play out in the way the questions are worded and in the mission statement of Science Debate 2008.

The topics of the questions are: Innovation, Climate Change, Energy, Education, National Security, Pandemics and Biosecurity, Genetics Research, Stem Cells, Ocean Health, Water, Space, Scientific Integrity, Research, and Health. The questions basically read:

(Topic) is important. Don’t you think (topic) is important? Would you spend money on (option A), (option B) or (option C) to address the importance of (topic)? How else would you address the importance of (topic)?

How about this for an answer:

(Topic) may or may not be important. Scientists that specialize in (topic) are better suited to answer that question than a politician. I do not think it is within my power as President to spend money on (topic), no matter how important it may be. Rather, I would make every effort to allow entrepreneurs and philanthropists to address the importance of (topic) through less regulation, sound money, and lower taxes.

The Best of Kathryn Muratore