Whose Fault Is That Again?

Inside Higher Ed today features an opinion piece calling for more basic research funding:

For the first time since we won the Cold War, other nations are mounting an aggressive challenge to the United States’ position as a world leader in science. China and India combined produce more than twice as many engineers each year than the United States. Both have exceeded our rate of economic growth over the past decade and, although they’re starting from a much lower base, both have increased funding for basic research more quickly than we have.

This presents a challenge because we’re currently under-investing in basic research. Although the level of overall federal scientific spending sits at an all-time high in real dollar terms, as a percentage of GDP it remains smaller than it was during the Apollo program years of the late 1960s. Distressingly, furthermore, some recent scientific policies shifted our own priorities away from basic research. While I have nothing against applied research — as a doctor, I never did any other kind — we ultimately need to do more basic research if we want to retain our position as a world leader.

The author? Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.

Welcome to the party, Mr. Frist. Some of us have been saying that for a long time, but there’s a certain group whose priorities don’t really seem to include science. If I could just remember what they call themselves…. Starts with an “R,” I think? Something to do with elephants, maybe?