The Top Science Questions Facing America: 2012 Edition
The suggestion portion of the process is now closed. We are now in phase two: taking your submissions under advisement and working with a panel of representatives from leading U.S. science organizations to consolidate ideas and craft the top science questions facing America in 2012.
What are the top science questions the candidates for president should answer? We’re not interested in quizzing candidates on the particulars of cell mitosis or the third digit of pi. We want to know their positions on the big science and engineering policy questions that affect all our lives. The questions we will consider most successful will probe the candidates on the broad, important issues of our day around science in an insightful and fair way.
-
How can we ensure that short term economic gain does not precipitate eventual global health and environmental disaster?
All politicians must balance economic considerations against scientific realities. Politics are by necessity short term, while the scientific consequences may seem very removed from the day to day pressure of politics. How can government, as contrasted with politics, ensure the long-term good of the nation?
157 votes -
22 votes
-
Is there an optimum income distribution resulting in a maximum GDP growth?
Is more people with a little more money better than one person with all the money? In the latter case would there be any GDP growth at all?.
1 vote -
Do you see an emerging role for environmental economics in America's national policy decisions?
Economists are increasingly able to quantify the value of environmental services and the costs of environmental damage. Does our president consider these data to be important considerations?
1 vote -
Do you believe the Federal Government should invest in collecting factual information about the economy for use by citizen's and industry?
The House of Representatives recently voted to discontinue the American Community survey, some form of which has been collected since the presidency of Thomas Jefferson, as well as the 2012 Economic Census. Do you believe it is an appropriate role for the government to collect and make available to the public basic, factual information on the state of the country and the economy as a public good so that companies and citizens can use the information to make data-based decisions?
1 vote
- Don't see your idea?
