MONEY FOR SCIENCE, OH YEAH!

Obama to double scientific research funding
Edward Luce, April 28, 2009 (Financial Times)

"Barack Obama… promised to double public funding of scientific research to exceed the level Washington spent during the "space race" unleashed by Dwight Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy 50 years ago.

"The US president's pledge, made in a speech at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, included a promise to take ideology out of public research following what many scientists saw as the politicisation of science under George W. Bush - particularly in the field of climate change."

Characteristic of the science done during the last administration. (click to enlarge)

"Under Mr Obama's pledge, the US would increase to 3 per cent the proportion of gross domestic product it spends on scientific research and development - roughly the level as under JFK.

"New measures would include making an R&D tax credit permanent for businesses, boosting funding for energy and healthcare research, and efforts to restore the quality of US teaching in maths and sciences…Mr Obama's speech goes part of the way towards fulfilling a long-standing campaign promise…"

Time to turn this around. (click to enlarge)

"Some critics of the Obama administration point out that elements of his programme, including the pledge to enact a full "cap and trade" system this year for carbon emissions, already look to be in danger because of the political fallout in Congress from the economic crisis…However, Mr Obama also won plaudits for sticking to his longer-term agenda…

"…[The President said] there was a strong link between previous eras of high public funding for scientific research and subsequent US economic competitiveness…linked his new research funding to US job creation…[and] argued that the steep slide in the quality of teaching at US schools was in need of urgent reversal…"