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Barack Obama shares a 75% similarity with your beliefs on Science
I support increased funding for scientific research
Obama co-sponsored and voted YES on the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (S. 761), a bill "to invest in innovation and education to improve the competitiveness of the United States in the global economy." The House version of this bill (H.R. 2272) became law in 2007.
"My administration will increase funding for basic research in physical and life sciences, mathematics, and engineering at a rate that would double basic research budgets over the next decade. We will increase research grants for early-career researchers to keep young scientists entering these fields. We will increase support for high-risk, high-payoff research portfolios at our science agencies. And we will invest in the breakthrough research we need to meet our energy challenges and to transform our defense programs."
As for science funding, there is a subtle, but significant clarification [in Obama's 11-page science plan]. Whereas before the campaign had been stating that they would double the basic science research budget for science agencies across the government, now they are saying that they will "double (the) budgets of key science agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology over the next ten years."
From Melody Barnes, senior domestic policy adviser to the Obama campaign: "Senator Obama believes that we have to double scientific research funding, so that we can take advantage of the enormous talent in the United States, and we can regain our global competitive edge."
"Q: How would you change the system to make American students competitive on the world scene? A: [One thing is] emphasizing math and science instruction, finding innovative ways to make it interesting for students. This is an area where the president has the power to use the bully pulpit and to make math and science interesting and vibrant again. One of the things that I'm always struck by when I talk to engineers and scientists who are in their 50s and 60s is how many say they were inspired by JFK and the space program for going into science and math. And one area where I think we could actually do that is to really make a huge effort around energy independence. And if a president is talking about the importance of us engaging in research and development, doubling the amount of research dollars that are being put into basic science and basic research, all that can help lift up the importance of these areas of study for young people who basically take their cues from the larger culture."
"If we want to development math and science curriculums, we've got to make math and science jobs attractive, which means increasing research grants. This is something that is important not just for our competitiveness, but also for our long-term national security. And when Bush requests $196 billion for next year's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and is seeing a flatlining of investment in science research, that makes it more difficult for us to encourage our children to go into sciences."
2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University Oct 30, 2007