Kenneth Chang, NY Times
"Federal financing of science research, which has risen quickly since the Obama administration came to power, could fall back to pre-Obama levels if the incoming Republican leadership in the House of Representatives follows through on its list of campaign promises.
"In the Republican platform, Pledge to America, the party vows to cut discretionary nonmilitary spending to 2008 levels. Under that plan, research and development at nonmilitary agencies — including those that sponsor science and health research — would fall 12.3 percent, to $57.8 billion, from the Mr. Obama’s request of $65.9 billion for fiscal year 2011.
"An analysis by the American Association for the Advancement of Science looked at what would happen if all of the agencies were cut to the 2008 amounts. The National Institutes of Health would lose $2.9 billion, or 9 percent, of its research money. The National Science Foundation would lose more than $1 billion, or almost 19 percent, of its budget, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would lose $324 million, or 34 percent."
Part of the push by the USA Science Festival was getting kids excited about future jobs in math and science. The documentary, "Waiting for Superman" points out how the real living conditions of Americans are affected by access (or lack of access) to a quality education.
For me personally, that's made the difference to working as an engineer in a previous life, now post lay off as a HS physics teacher, or doing very desperate and illegal things (like a few associates from my old neighborhood) that could have landed me in prison or worse.
The US is currently 35th in math and 29th in science, (which might as well be a justification for outsourcing) and I wonder if that is largely due to the politics that are unique only to the United States.
Municipalities argue the inclusion of Intelligent Design along with classes in biology, and argue the validity of the "Big Bang," proven by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson (postulated by Erwin Hubble). Since I am part of a community of faith, I am not arguing against it.
We fight a war that is a continuation of Galileo's house arrest. Science continually becomes a threat to persons with self-centered motives and miniscule vision. That is not faith, that is the vilest manipulation of an audience for personal gain.
I wish Carl was here...
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