15 September 2008

McCain Answers Top 14 Science Debate Questions

Posted by Ryan Anderson

I promised before when I summarized Obama’s answers to the top 14 sciencedebate questions that I would do the same when McCain answered. And now he has! I encourage you to go read the full answers because what I am posting here is just a bulleted list of things that I thought were the key points.

  • Low taxes, research incentives, commitment to education, streamline regulations
  • Nurturing technology and innovation key to solving problems
  • focus on addressing “national needs”
  • utilize our sci/tech infrastructure to develop framework of growth
  • Appoints science/technology advisor in the white house
  • eliminate earmarks to fund sci/tech investments
  • fund basic research in bio/nanotech and information technology
  • fiscal responsibility in government science and engineering
  • encourage and facilitate commercialization of new innovations
  • “Ensure U.S. leadership in space by promoting an exploration agenda that will combine the discoveries of our unmanned probes with new technologies to take Americans to the Moon, Mars, and beyond;”
  • “reform” math and science education
  • use technology to create new jobs in rural areas
  • more transparency in government
  • hold business round table with industry and academia leaders
  • “The facts of global warming demand our urgent attention”
  • cap and trade system to reduce carbon emissions
  • back to 2005 emissions by 2012, back to 1990 emissions by  2020, sixty percent below 1990 levels by the year 2050.
  • use incentives and rewards to get businesses to reduce emissions
  • strengthen penalties for carmakers violating emissions standards
  • permanent R&D tax credit
  • invest in clean coal
  • $5000 tax credit if people buy zero emissions cars (this would encourage automakers to make such cars)
  • $300 million prize for development of batteries that make plug-in electric cars possible
  • 45 new nuclear reactors by 2030
  • let the market decide which clean energy wins out
  • re-train displaced workers for higher-tech jobs
  • “fill the pipeline” to universities and colleges with students prepared to do math and science
  • more labs, science fairs and science competitions starting in elementary science classes
  • bring private corporations into the [educational] process, to identify and maximize the potential of students who are interested and have the unique potential to excel in math and science.
  • more professional development for teachers
  • 30% of title II funding directly to schools
  • devote 60% of Title II funding for bonuses for high performing teachers to locate in the most challenging educational settings, for teachers to teach subjects like math and science, and for teachers who demonstrate student improvement.
  • expand online education
  • support STEM education at NSF, DOE, NASA, etc.
  • strengthen military, shore up alliances
  • continue support of military R&D
  • continued attention to avian flu
  • to prevent pandemics/biological attacks, focus on preparedness, communication, surveillance and detection, and response and containment
  • fund R&D of new medicines and vaccines
  • ensure privacy of records to prevent genetic discrimination
  • improve crop yields in poor regions with genetic research
  • supports federal funding for stem cell research
  • support research into non-embryonic stem cell sources
  • ban creation of fetuses for research purposes
  • better management of ocean health and policy and better scientific understanding
  • must conserve water and respect water rights
  • water disputed better resolved through consensus negotiation than in court
  • balanced approach to space investments
  • ensure that space exploration is a top priority and that US remains a leader
  • fund the NASA Constellation program
  • minimize shuttle gap by exploring all options
  • maintain space workforce, complete the ISS and maximize research and commercialization possibilities
  • maintain earth-observing infrastructure and satellites
  • prevent earmarks
  • invest in aeronautics
  • “I believe policy should be based upon sound science”
  • restore credibility and role of the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the white house
  • My own record speaks for integrity and putting the country first, not political agendas.” – ok, I’ve been trying to be impartial in this list, but this is a blatant lie if you’ve been paying attention to recent politics
  • maximize investment in basic research, minimize bureaucracy involved
  • increase basic research at NSF
  • ensure that research is addressing national needs, taking advantage of new areas of opportunities, and that the results of this research can enter the marketplace.
  • allocate research money based on science quality and peer review, not politics and earmarks.
  • increase funding at DOE, NSF, NIH
  • make health care more affordable by promoting research and development of new treatment models, promoting wellness, investing in technology and providing people with better information on quality

There you have them, my attempt at an impartial summary of McCain’s answers. Whether you believe them or not based on his recent record is up to you.