Physics Today Campaign 2008 - Where do they stand on science?tag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//82008-02-12T16:17:35ZA blog by Physics Today covering how science policy and the 2008 American Presidential election campaign interactMovable Type 3.33Where do they stand on the 2008/09 science budget?tag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//8.24622008-02-06T01:52:06Z2008-02-12T16:17:35ZNearly all the remaining presidential candidates agree that the U.S. should continue to invest in energy and basic science research. Hillary Clinton provided the most detailed proposals, with Barack Obama a close second now that John Edwards is out of...Physics Todayhttp://physicstoday.org
Hillary Clinton provided the most detailed proposals, with Barack Obama a close second now that John Edwards is out of the race. The two main republican candidates, John McCain and Mike Huckabee, do not have specific proposals but they do support increased funding for energy research and education.
John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are still in the Senate and may vote on the 2009 science budget before the campaign is over.
The 2008 budget turned into a disaster for science, particularly for high energy physics for which funding of the international linear collider and the international thermonuclear experimental reactor were effectively zeroed out. In response, Fermilab and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center had to curtail experiments early, cut staff and in some cases, ask their employees to take two days of unpaid furlough each month.
The cuts in the 2008 budget came about because Congress and the White House disagreed over how to pay for tax cuts and government services in an era of rising deficits.
In the 2009 budget the Office of Science at the Department of Energy, which funds Fermilab, would receive an 18% increase from $3.97 billion to $4.72 billion. The National Science Foundation would receive a 14 percent increase to $6.85 billion, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology would receive a 22 percent increase to $634 million.
Last year both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama abstained from voting on the 2008 science budget. John McCain voted against it.
If the candidates want to support increased science funding, they can support the 2009 budget or, if Congress decides to delay passing the budget, call for supplemental spending bills that increase research funds above their 2008 level. ]]>
How important is the White House science adviser?tag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//8.24282008-01-27T21:19:26Z2008-02-06T15:25:29ZPresidents have had science advisers in one form or another since Franklin D. Roosevelt. The position gained new importance in 1976 when Congress established the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). The OSTP has a mandate to...Physics Todayhttp://physicstoday.org
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). The OSTP has a mandate to advise the President and others in the Executive Office of the President on the effects of science and technology on domestic and international affairs.
According to its website, the OSTP and science adviser, who until recently held the title "assistant to the president", has had some success in the past in pushing programs such as the Human Genome Project and getting support for doubling the budget of the National Institutes of Health.
As previous science advisers told Physics Today when current science adviser John Marburger was nominated in 2001, access to the president is critical. Through direct contact, the science adviser not only can discuss policy with the president, but he gains status as a true "insider," an invaluable asset when dealing with the federal bureaucracy.
Neal Lane, a former science adviser to the Clinton administration, told the New York Times for an article about the politicization of science, "Your influence depends on whether people around the president feel you have something to add."
Whether Marburger has had the access he would like in the Bush administration, remains in question, D. James Baker, the former head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has stated that "the administration has backed away from listening to the science adviser position."
In that regard, despite the experience and long list of eminent scientists providing advice to the Clinton, Obama, Romney, and McCain candidacies, only John Edwards and Hillary Clinton have explicitly stated that they will return the science adviser position to its previous rank of "assistant to the president."
Related LinksJohn Edward's position on scientific investmentHillary Clinton's postion on scientific adviceThe Science Adviser, Seed magazine, 4 January 2008
Presidential Candidates Dodge Tough Science Topics, FOX News, 4 January 2008
Political Science, The New York Times, 4 September 2005
Past Science Advisers Counsel Bush Nominee, Physics Today, 1 August 2001]]>
Ron Paul on nuclear weaponstag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//8.23862008-01-17T00:51:46Z2008-01-17T00:52:31ZRon Paul has stated that he is against military activity in almost every circumstance when war isn’t declared. He states that because the US went back and offered deals to the North Koreans after they exploded a nuclear weapon, while...Physics Todayhttp://physicstoday.org
stated that he is against military activity in almost every circumstance when war isn’t declared. He states that because the US went back and offered deals to the North Koreans after they exploded a nuclear weapon, while invading Iraq, a country that did not have an atomic bomb, the US is offering an “tremendous incentive” to non-nuclear states to develop nuclear weapons. He has no other statement on the future status of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile.]]>
Ron Paul on science investmenttag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//8.23852008-01-17T00:50:55Z2008-01-17T00:51:30ZFrom the 2007 GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate Sep 17, 2007 Ron Paul stated that the government should be very small and that the government should not be expected to fund everything.....Physics Todayhttp://physicstoday.org
From the 2007 GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate Sep 17, 2007
Ron Paul stated that the government should be very small and that the government should not be expected to fund everything..
From Meet the Press: 2007 "Meet the Candidates" series Dec 23, 2007
Ron Paul stated that all federal agencies except for the justice and defense departments should be abolished.
Ron Paul on science educationtag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//8.23842008-01-17T00:49:11Z2008-01-17T00:50:33ZAccording to Thomas.gov On April 27, 2007, Ron Paul voted against H.R. 362, the 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act. GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate Sep 17, 2007 Ron Paul stated that he would approve of...Physics Todayhttp://physicstoday.org
Thomas.gov
On April 27, 2007, Ron Paul voted against H.R. 362, the 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act.
GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate Sep 17, 2007 Ron Paul stated that he would approve of tax credits for religious schools.
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web site
The federal government has no constitutional authority to fund or control schools. I want to abolish the unconstitutional, wasteful Department of Education and return its functions to the states. By removing the federal subsidies that inflate costs, schools can be funded by local taxes, and parents and teachers can directly decide how best to allocate the resources.
To help parents with the costs of schooling, I have introduced H.R. 1056, the Family Education Freedom Act, in Congress. This bill would allow parents a tax credit of up to $5,000 (adjustable after 2007 for inflation) per student per year for the cost of attendance at an elementary and/or secondary school. This includes private, parochial, religious, and home schools.
Another bill I have sponsored, H.R. 1059, allows full-time elementary and secondary teachers a $3,000 yearly tax credit, thus easing their financial burden and encouraging good teachers to stay in an underpaid profession.
Many parents have already shown their desire to be free of federal control by either enrolling their children in private schools or homeschooling them. And students enrolled in these alternatives have consistently performed better and tested higher than those in state-run schools.
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Hillary Clinton on science educationtag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//8.23782008-01-16T00:18:12Z2008-01-16T00:18:58ZHillary for President: ...I’ll improve math and science education, and open up science and engineering to more of our people. And I’ll end the assault on science waged by the Bush Administration....Physics Todayhttp://physicstoday.org
Hillary for President: ...I’ll improve math and science education, and open up science and engineering to more of our people. And I’ll end the assault on science waged by the Bush Administration.]]>
Hillary Clinton on energy policytag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//8.23772008-01-16T00:13:36Z2008-01-16T00:16:33ZHillary for President: Hillary has a bold and comprehensive plan to address America's energy and environmental challenges that will establish a green, efficient economy and create as many as five million new jobs....Physics Todayhttp://physicstoday.org
Hillary for President: Hillary has a bold and comprehensive plan to address America's energy and environmental challenges that will establish a green, efficient economy and create as many as five million new jobs.]]>
A new cap-and-trade program that auctions 100 percent of permits alongside investments to move us on the path towards energy independence;
An aggressive comprehensive energy efficiency agenda to reduce electricity consumption 20 percent from projected levels by 2020 by changing the way utilities do business, catalyzing a green building industry, enacting strict appliance efficiency standards, and phasing out incandescent light bulbs;
A $50 billion Strategic Energy Fund, paid for in part by oil companies, to fund investments in alternative energy. The SEF will finance one-third of the $150 billon ten-year investment in a new energy future contained in this plan;
Doubling of federal investment in basic energy research, including funding for an ARPA-E, a new research agency modeled on the successful Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Aggressive action to transition our economy toward renewable energy sources, with renewables generating 25 percent of electricity by 2025 and with 60 billion gallons of home-grown biofuels available for cars and trucks by 2030;
10 "Smart Grid City" partnerships to prove the advanced capabilities of smart grid and other advanced demand-reduction technologies, as well as new investment in plug-in hybrid vehicle technologies;
An increase in fuel efficiency standards to 55 miles per gallon by 2030, and $20 billion of "Green Vehicle Bonds" to help U.S. automakers retool their plants to meet the standards;
A plan to catalyze a thriving green building industry by investing in green collar jobs and helping to modernize and retrofit 20 million low-income homes to make them more energy efficient;
A new "Connie Mae" program to make it easier for low and middle-income Americans to buy green homes and invest in green home improvements;
A requirement that all publicly traded companies report financial risks due to climate change in annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and
Creation of a "National Energy Council" within the White House to ensure implementation of the plan across the Executive Branch.
A requirement that all federal buildings designed after January 20, 2009 will be zero emissions buildings.]]>
Mike Huckabee on science investmenttag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//8.23762008-01-16T00:00:48Z2008-01-16T00:01:46ZHuckabee has not outlined clear positions on the federal funding of science. He has pledge to simplify the immigration process for highly-skilled and highly-educated applicants. Huckabee has also promised to increase funding for research into all avenues of alternative energy:...Physics Todayhttp://physicstoday.org
highly-skilled and highly-educated applicants.
Huckabee has also promised to increase funding for research into all avenues of alternative energy: nuclear, wind, solar, hydrogen, clean coal, biodiesel, and biomass.]]>
John McCain on science educationtag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//8.23752008-01-15T23:55:54Z2008-01-15T23:58:11ZAlthough having a number of educators providing advice on education policy, such as Eileen Weiser of the National Assessment Governing Board (http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/b501220e-3c9f-4ff7-85fd-524ce99b66c9.htm) and Phil Handy, former chairman of the Florida State Board of Education (http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/8ec58462-84b1-4f6b-88dd-80232036fc09.htm), McCain has yet to officially...Physics Todayhttp://physicstoday.org
http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/b501220e-3c9f-4ff7-85fd-524ce99b66c9.htm) and Phil Handy, former chairman of the Florida State Board of Education (http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/8ec58462-84b1-4f6b-88dd-80232036fc09.htm), McCain has yet to officially release an education policy.
During the 9 December 2007 republican primary debate on Univision McCain (http://www.ontheissues.org/2007_Univision_GOP.htm) stated
"Choice and competition is the key to success in education in America. That means charter schools, that means home schooling, it means vouchers, it means rewarding good teachers and finding bad teachers another line of work. It means rewarding good performing schools, and it really means in some cases putting bad performing schools out of business. I want every American parent to have a choice, a choice as to how they want their child educated, and I guarantee you the competition will dramatically increase the level of education in America."
McCain has also suggested turning education policy back to individual states and offering federal money through unrestricted block grants. He will keep most aspects of No Child Left Behind legalization in place.
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Mike Huckabee on nuclear weaponstag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//8.23732008-01-15T23:46:57Z2008-01-15T23:47:59ZMike Huckabee for President: ...There is no way Iran will acquire nuclear weapons on my watch. But before I look parents in the eye to explain why I had to put their son’s or daughter’s life at risk in military...Physics Todayhttp://physicstoday.org
Mike Huckabee for President: ...There is no way Iran will acquire nuclear weapons on my watch. But before I look parents in the eye to explain why I had to put their son’s or daughter’s life at risk in military action against Iran, I want to know that I have done everything possible to avoid that conflict...
On June 5 at the CNN GOP debate in New Hampshire, Gov. Huckabee stated that he would consider a pre-emptive nuclear strike on Iran to stop their development of nuclear weapons.
Gov. Huckabee has made no statement on the role of the military or the funding of the nuclear weapon stockpile since running for office.
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Mike Huckabee on science educationtag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//8.23722008-01-15T23:42:05Z2008-01-16T00:00:06ZMike Huckabee for President: I want to provide our children what I call the "Weapons of Mass Instruction" - art and music - the secret, effective weapons that will help us to be competitive and creative. It is crucial that...Physics Todayhttp://physicstoday.org
Mike Huckabee for President: I want to provide our children what I call the "Weapons of Mass Instruction" - art and music - the secret, effective weapons that will help us to be competitive and creative. It is crucial that children flex both the left and right sides of the brain. We all know the cliché of thinking outside the box: I want our children to be so creative that they think outside the cardboard factory.]]>
Mike Huckabee for President: A Huckabee adminstration would modernize the process of legal immigration by increasing the number of visas for highly-skilled and highly-educated applicants and improve our immigration process so that those patiently and responsibly seeking to come here legally will not have to wait decades to share in the American dream.
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John McCain on science investmenttag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//8.23602008-01-11T20:51:25Z2008-01-11T20:52:02ZNASA Watch: "[Republican presidential candidate John McCain] also said he strongly supports missions to Mars and that Florida should continue to play a major role in space exploration. "There's too much invested there. There's infrastructure that's very expensive and very...Physics Todayhttp://physicstoday.org
NASA Watch: "[Republican presidential candidate John McCain] also said he strongly supports missions to Mars and that Florida should continue to play a major role in space exploration. "There's too much invested there. There's infrastructure that's very expensive and very extensive there," he said."]]>
John McCain on teaching evolutiontag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//8.23542008-01-11T18:55:08Z2008-01-11T18:57:56ZFrom his 2005 book "Character is Destiny": "Darwin helped explain nature’s laws. He did not speculate, in his published theories at least, on the origin of life. He did not exclude God, for Whom the immensity of time is but...Physics Todayhttp://physicstoday.org
From his 2005 book "Character is Destiny":
"Darwin helped explain nature’s laws. He did not speculate, in his published theories at least, on the origin of life. He did not exclude God, for Whom the immensity of time is but a moment, from our presence. The only undeniable challenge the theory of evolution poses to Christian beliefs is its obvious contradiction of the idea that God created the world as it is in less than a week. But our faith is certainly not so weak that it can be shaken to learn that a biblical metaphor is not literal history. Nature doesn’t threaten our faith. On the contrary, when we contemplate its beauty and mysteries we cannot quiet in our heart an insistent impulse of belief that for all its variations and inevitable change, before its creation, in a time before time, God let it be so, and, thus, its many splendors and purposes abide in His purpose.”
CBN News.
CNN: "I believe in evolution," Sen. John McCain said. "But I also believe, when I hike the Grand Canyon and see it at sunset, that the hand of God is there also."]]>
Ron Paul on energy policytag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//8.23532008-01-11T02:02:49Z2008-01-11T02:06:54ZSalon.com: On energy, I would say that the reliance on the government to devise a policy is a fallacy. I would advocate that the free market take care of that. The government shouldn't be directing research and development because they...Physics Todayhttp://physicstoday.org
Salon.com: On energy, I would say that the reliance on the government to devise a policy is a fallacy. I would advocate that the free market take care of that. The government shouldn't be directing research and development because they are bound and determined to always misdirect money to political cronies. The government ends up subsidizing things like the corn industry to develop ethanol and it turns out that it's not economically feasible. So, my answer to energy is to let the market work. Let supply and demand make the decision. Let prices make the decision. That is completely different than the bureaucratic and cronyism approach.]]>
Ron Paul on teaching evolutiontag:blogs.physicstoday.org,2008:/politics08//8.23522008-01-11T01:41:34Z2008-01-11T01:49:48ZOn May 3, 2007, MSNBC hosted a debate for the GOP presidential candidates at the Reagan Library in California. Near the end of the program, moderator Chris Matthews asked the candidates, "I'm curious, is there anybody on the stage that...Physics Todayhttp://physicstoday.org
On May 3, 2007, MSNBC hosted a debate for the GOP presidential candidates at the Reagan Library in California. Near the end of the program, moderator Chris Matthews asked the candidates, "I'm curious, is there anybody on the stage that does not agree, believe in evolution?" Three hands went up, one of them belonging, naturally enough, to Mike Huckabee. Ron Paul, however, kept his hand down.
At a November 1 meeting of the Spartanburg (SC) GOP Executive Committee, Ron Paul was asked about this incident:
"Well, at first I thought it was a very inappropriate question, you know, for the presidency to be decided on a scientific matter, and I think it's a theory, a theory of evolution, and I don't accept it, you know, as a theory, but I think [ it probably doesn't bother me. It's not the most important issue for me to make the difference in my life to understand the exact origin. I think ] the creator that I know created us, everyone of us, and created the universe, and the precise time and manner, I just don't think we're at the point where anybody has absolute proof on either side. [So I just don't . . . if that were the only issue, quite frankly, I would think it's an interesting discussion, I think it's a theological discussion, and I think it's fine, and we can have our . . . if that were the issue of the day, I wouldn't be running for public office."]