Andrea Widener reports in the March 4
issue of C&E News that a caucus of four House Representatives are promoting
government research. They are Hultgren (IL), Patta (PA), Lujan (NM), and
Nunnelee (MS). While the caucus has not yet set an agenda, one of its first
efforts will be to promote increased Federal government science funding. Members
of the caucus are said to be big believers in the importance of science, as am
I. Hultgren says backing basic science and research is one of the roles of
government.
I also believe that backing basic science and research is one of the roles of government, but the question is what does "backing" mean?. It is clear that the caucus's intention is to throw more taxpayer money at research programs, which are already in considerable excess at the various government agencies, including the National Science Foundation.
This sort of caucus within the House is a dangerous operation. In these times of budget deficits and extreme national debt, is our objective to be cutting government expense rather than increasing it. The caucus is obviously planning the reverse. In other words, we have gotten into this financial government mess through many years of excessive spending as approved by Congress, and this caucus only exacerbates a continuation of the same program.
I have yet to see any significant positive results from previous government research programs, as they spent billions of dollars of taxpayer money. It is past time to call it quits. Basic research should be done at universities and private companies or corporations, and not by government. Any "backing" by government should be in the form of encouragement, without funding. The maximum I will go is to agree that research by taxpaying organizations should receive a deduction in their federal tax calculation.
I do not support the caucus program. I believe it is detrimental to the financial health of the US, and I further believe that we should cut basic present agency research to the bone, except for national defense.
I also believe that backing basic science and research is one of the roles of government, but the question is what does "backing" mean?. It is clear that the caucus's intention is to throw more taxpayer money at research programs, which are already in considerable excess at the various government agencies, including the National Science Foundation.
This sort of caucus within the House is a dangerous operation. In these times of budget deficits and extreme national debt, is our objective to be cutting government expense rather than increasing it. The caucus is obviously planning the reverse. In other words, we have gotten into this financial government mess through many years of excessive spending as approved by Congress, and this caucus only exacerbates a continuation of the same program.
I have yet to see any significant positive results from previous government research programs, as they spent billions of dollars of taxpayer money. It is past time to call it quits. Basic research should be done at universities and private companies or corporations, and not by government. Any "backing" by government should be in the form of encouragement, without funding. The maximum I will go is to agree that research by taxpaying organizations should receive a deduction in their federal tax calculation.
I do not support the caucus program. I believe it is detrimental to the financial health of the US, and I further believe that we should cut basic present agency research to the bone, except for national defense.
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