Physics World reports that 20 Nobel laureates are asking Bush to work with Congress to restore funding for science that that was cut in the 2008 budget.
Two fields financed by the Department of Energy have been particularly badly hit, with funding for high-energy physics falling to $688m -- some 12% less than Bush had requested -- and support for fusion falling by a third. The cuts led to Fermilab, for example, announcing plans earlier this year to lay-off 200 of the lab's 1900 staff.
Fermilab is in Illinois. In theory such cuts should be of prime interest to Obama and the Democrat Party. So where is my Senator? Why isn't he speaking out on the matter (heh) and making the cuts an issue in his campaign? I was under the impression that the Democrats were supposed to be the party of science and technology. Is it just talk?
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Comments
Well to answer a rhetorical question, yes it is all talk.
I really think that all funding should be taken out of the hands of the federal government. These Nobel laureates should work to find grant money from private groups or individuals. The only job of the federal government should be to defend the states and the individual from threats foreign and domestic.
If people understand that the government will not be there to help them out if they do something stupid then I can imagine that the rate of stupid actions will drop exponentially.
John · May 8, 2008 06:22 PM
Agreed, all talk.
But to answer your bigger rhetorical question to make it even sharper, Fermilab is near Chicago, in the part of Illinois that Obama thinks is part of Illinois.
If memory serves, a significant part of the opposition that killed the Superconducting Supercollider centered around arguments such as "think of how many homeless shelters and food banks we could fund with all that money!" so I suspect that Obama is uninclined to support what he may see as government welfare for scientists who are indulging their Useless Pet Research Hobbies instead of instead of doing Socially Responsible work.
pst314 · May 8, 2008 08:18 PM
The only energy one will get from the D party is hot air... lots of it but not concentrated enough to turn a turbine. A number of historical figures, however, could get us much energy by putting copper coils around their bodies and magnets in their coffins as their spinning would, by now, power most of the continent.
It happened during budget to and fro. The White House said cut more. So the committee cut Bush's top 10 budget priorities, even though they'd been approved by House and Senate. Kindergarten games.
I live in Illinois. If Obama and Durbin are fighting for Fermilab they are sure keeping it quiet.
Joe Sixpack,
I tend to agree that a lot of what passes for Federal science is pure boondoggle. I was just pointing out that Obama is not doing a very good job re: the normal run of the mill politicians.
If this was going on in Clinton's State she would be making speeches. She would be twisting arms.
BTW Fermilab is run by UChicago where the Obama family has a lot of contacts (Obama taught law there and Michelle worked for the UChicago hospital). You would think he would be pushing it on that basis alone.
What surprises me is that his behavior does not match his rhetoric. Especially given his intimate concern with the institutions involved. And the Democrat's vaunted support for science.
And just because I think there are better fusion prospects does not mean that the money is a total waste. Some of the experiments being done are likely to benefit larger WBs. Like helping to solve the first wall problem.
dr,
The man is a talker. Where is his mention in a speech. Any one can pretend support in a press release. Politicians issue blizzards of them. If it is important you stand in front of a crowd and say something.
The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler
Don?t bang your head!
Well to answer a rhetorical question, yes it is all talk.
I really think that all funding should be taken out of the hands of the federal government. These Nobel laureates should work to find grant money from private groups or individuals. The only job of the federal government should be to defend the states and the individual from threats foreign and domestic.
If people understand that the government will not be there to help them out if they do something stupid then I can imagine that the rate of stupid actions will drop exponentially.