AIP FYI #134: Presidential Candidates on Science Issues
While science and technology issues have not been raised in the
presidential and vice-presidential debates thus far, there are a
number of web sites featuring the positions of President George Bush
and Senator John Kerry on science policy. These include articles in
two magazines published by the American Institute of Physics, in
Science, Science Express, and Nature. Last week, the American
Association for the Advancement of Science held a well-attended
candidates’ forum at which spokesmen for President Bush and Senator
Kerry presented the two candidates’ views on science policy and
funding questions. An audio archive is available of this forum.
Also of note is an effort by the American Physical Society and other
science and technology interests to arrange a first-ever electronic
(web cast) town hall meeting at which Kerry and Bush would be given
an opportunity to make an opening statement and then take
questions. Invitations were mailed to each candidates’ campaign on
August 16, 2004. The organizers have not received a firm response
from either campaign. Further information and updates on these
meetings can be found at http://www.HiTechTownHall.org
Resources:
Physics Today: October 2004
“Presidential Candidates Speak Out on Science Policies”
Issues: missile defense, climate change, science investment, nuclear
weapons, nuclear proliferation, energy policy, nuclear
power/radioactive waste, national labs, and space policy.
The Industrial Physicist: October-November 2004:
“Democrats & Republicans: What’s the record on physical science?”
Issues: funding trends for the physical sciences, specific program
funding, and visa policy.
AAAS Science Express: September 17, 2004
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/rapidpdf/1104420v1.pdf
“Presidential Forum: Bush and Kerry Offer Their Views on Science”
Issues: top science priorities, climate change, stem cell research,
public health, space policy, visa/security policy, environmental
stewardship, creationism, ITER, energy policy, and managing science.
Science: October 1, 2004
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/306/5693/46
“2004 Presidential Forum: Bush and Kerry Offer Their Views on
Science”
Issues: Top science priorities, climate change, stem cell research,
cloning, restrictions on abortion/birth control funding, obesity
program, space policy, classified research, ocean policy, Endangered
Species Act, ITER, visa policy, energy R&D, NSF funding, NIH
funding, creationism, financial conflict of interest, foreign
students, and earmarking.
Nature: September 16, 2004
http://www.nature.com/news/specials/uselection/index.html#flash
“Head to Head: Bush vs. Kerry”
Issues: visa policy, scientific panel bias, weapons of mass
destruction, new nuclear weapons, missile defense, ITER, space
program, science funding, environment/consumption, Endangered
Species Act, genetic modification of food, climate change, drug
approval process, mad cow disease, and stem cell research.
American Association for the Advancement of Science: September 30,
2004
U.S. Presidential Election 2004: The Candidates Views on Science
A 90-minute audio cast of a candidate forum on science issues with
representatives from the two campaigns.
Richard M. Jones
Media and Government Relations Division
The American Institute of Physics
fyi@aip.org
http://www.aip.org/gov
(301) 209-3094
