Bush science adviser details Republican budgetary threat to science and U.S. future

John Marburger occasionally came under fire during his tenure as W's science adviser, due to the decidedly anti-intellectual, anti-scientific tone and policies of that administration. But he is a scientist and supports science strongly. Read the whole thing, if you have time; if not, just read what I've got here.

House science cuts threaten our future - Marburger

"Science is not a luxury; it reaches deep into the national infrastructure - economic, physical, and intellectual - that makes modern civilization possible. It operates at every step of the development of cures for disease and new approaches to energy independence. Most scientific research performed in the nation's laboratories - academic, industrial, or federal - is 'trouble-shooting' research where highly trained men and women puzzle out unexpected occurrences of every kind and build a knowledge base available to other scientists, engineers, and innovators throughout the economy. Economists estimate that approximately half of post-WWII economic growth is directly attributable to R&D-fueled technological progress.

The U.S. excels at this kind of work, partly because at the most challenging level we combine it with advanced education. The largest fraction of federal research funds awarded to universities goes to support graduate students and postdocs who conduct research and then transfer their cutting edge knowledge to industry "on two legs." During their studies, guided by professors, they immerse themselves in the details of prior knowledge and of experiments they design and build to solve puzzles and cut through to new solutions. It is no accident that high-value-added industries cluster around research universities. They can find solutions to problems through access to the nation's most skilled and motivated people, and they recruit them as employees."

So you want to help the economy, Pubbies? Then DON'T CUT SCIENCE BUDGETS! Investment in the future keeps us competitive in the future.