Notes on Barack Obama’s Science Debate 2008 Responses

My personal notes/thoughts on Obama’s responses (McCain has yet to respond):

1. Innovation

Will create a service Scholarship program that pays undergraduate or graduate teaching education costs for those who commit to teaching in a high-need school.

Will create Teacher Residency Academies.

Critics will cry “How will we pay for all this education?” The answer is that education pays for itself.

Will mandate broadband Internet connections for all Americans. America’s lack of broadband access is shameful, and this statement show’s Obama gets it.

2. Climate Change

Cap-and-trade solution – the free market solution.

Will create a Global Energy Forum – based on the G8+5

3. Energy

Sets Milestones/Goals for alternatives.

4. Education

Recently introduced the “Enhancing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education Act of 2008”

• Full Text of the Bill
• Summary of the Bill
• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), American Chemical Society, National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), and the Knowledge Alliance all strongly support the bill (also here).

5. National Security.

Obama wins strong points for referencing President Eisenhower’s 1957 National Defense Education Act, which strengthened American Math and Science education as the best means of defense against the Russia’s space program.

6. Pandemics and Biosecurity

Correctly focuses on Networking with other nations and investment in Medical IT. Exactly what the doctors have been ordering.

7. Genetics research

Genomics and Personalized Medicine Act of 2007

• Full text of the Bill.
• A Bipartisan Bill introduced with Senator Richard Burr (R-NC).
• Does not restrict people accessing their genome, but requires government to establish safety and privacy standards.

Has a very erudite passage on the promise of Recombinant DNA. He’s got good advisors.

8. Stem cells

Will lift the ban imposed by George Bush. No surprise.

9. Ocean Health

Ensure the U.S. ratifies the Law of the Sea Convention, which establishes guidelines for businesses, environment, and management of marine resources. Ratified by 155 countries… but not us.

Will reauthorize the Coastal Zone Management Act, which could help fight the Gulf Coast dead zone (although, unfortunately, Obama fails to mention this), and strengthen
National Marine Sanctuaries and the Oceans and Human Health Acts.

10. Water

Promote conservation and innovation. No mandates; therefore, no teeth.

11. Space

Will revive the National Aeronautics and Space Council, which was previously revived by Bush Senior, and is another reason why I consider him one of our great presidents.

12. Scientific Integrity

Establish the nation’s first Chief Technology Officer (CTO) =’s Obama Gets It.

Will the restore President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), which was restored under Bush Junior, but ignored and moved down the street where it couldn’t bother him. Obama will bring science back into the White House.

13. Research

Will double basic research budgets over the next decade to address the following:

1. expand the frontiers of human knowledge
2. greater support for high-risk, high-return research and for young scientists at the beginning of their careers
3. address the “grand challenges” of the 21st century: energy, health, food and water, national security, information technology, and manufacturing capacity

How will we pay for this? Research pays for itself!

14. Health

Will require insurance companies to cover the ounce of prevention that saves a pound of cure.