Your comments are technically correct, but his sponsorship of the bill
(along with McCain) reveals a significant level of support for it. It
means a lot more than pushing a button on one's desk on the Senate floor.
Dave
Cary Chevalier wrote:
The act that Ruth is referring to is the “Federal Funding Accountability and
Transparency Act of 2006 (S. 2590) “
The bill was introduced by Senator Tom Coburn, for himself and Senators Barack Obama, Tom
Carper and John McCain on April 6, 2006.[1] After a "secret hold" was revealed
and removed, it was passed unanimously in the Senate on September 7, 2006 and by the
House on September 13, 2006. The bill was signed into law by President George W. Bush on
September 26, 2006.
Above quote from Wikipedia.
In other words, Senator Coburn introduced the bill, with Obama, Carper, and McCain as co-sponsors.
The bill is NOT Obama’s. Just to keep the history straight, and the political
spin to a minimum.
Cheers!
Cary D. Chevalier, Ph.D.
Department of Biology
Missouri Western State University
4525 Downs Dr.
St. Joseph, MO 64507
Ph: 816.271.4252
Fax: 816.271.4252
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Latitude 39o 45' 29.94559" N - Longitude 94o 47' 6.49119" W
_____________________________________________
From: Ruth McDowell [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 9:29 AM
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Spending the taxpayer's money: Was Palin laughs at
fruit fly research
Thats why Obama's "google for government" bill is such a great idea. Right
now there is absolutely no transparency and we have a right to know how and
where tax money is being spent, how much is "unaccounted for", etc... I'd
wager that the public would be a hell of a lot angrier to know how much
money goes to people and companies that have an inside relationship with
Washington or congresspeople, or to projects like the much-cited bridge to
nowhere, than money going to scientific research, no matter what the
research is on. Does anyone actually believe that science is what's driving
up the national debt? Maybe some people do and that's why a website to trace
federal spending is a good idea.
I think the government google bill was passed, so hopefully someday soon it
will be a useful website and provide some real information to anyone who is
interested.
-Ruth
On Wed, Oct 29, 2008 at 2:11 PM, Christopher J Wells <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote:
Costs have to be attached to any gov funded research because we spend
taxpayers' money to conduct the research for the benefit of the taxpayer.
Ask any Congressman.
As a consumer, I like to know that every dime I spend in a grocery store
buys me the product I want at a price I think is reasonable. As a
taxpayer, I want the same for the dollars I pay into the government tax
system.
If we cannot succinctly justify the burden we place on the taxpayer, for
whatever product, then the taxpayer will justifiably be suspicious of what
we do.
Contempt for the taxpayer is not going to win any arguments. It will just
gain kudos from the echo chamber.
Your target audience for justification of spending tax dollars for
research is not academia. It is the NASCAR audience. That's who
Congressmen talk to when they run for election.
---chris
Jason L Kindall <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent by: "Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news"
<[email protected]>
10/29/2008 08:25 AM
Please respond to
Jason L Kindall <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To
[email protected]
cc
Subject
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Palin laughs at fruit fly research
Why chain ourselves to economic importance of a species as a barometer
on whether we should conserve it? Granted, economic importance is a
good boost for conservation of some species. However, it sure isn't the
only reason to conserve something.
Jason
Paul Cherubini wrote:
Jason L Kindall wrote:
Viewed alone, it might be pretty hard to justify
research on fruit flies to the average Joe (plumber
or six-pack). Connect it with autism or human health
and then it becomes more palatable to the public.
Perhaps Sarah Palin and the average Joe's are refering
to the big research grants that are awarded for seemingly
frivolous projects like the one below dealing with the health
of an economically unimportant, but charasmatic insect:
http://tinyurl.com/2d6r9f
$679,492 Grant to assist professor's study of butterflies
Altizer received the National Science Foundation Faculty
Early Development Career award to study migration and
infectious disease patterns in Monarch butterflies.
Altizer hopes her research will help with conservation. She
wants to know how migration keeps Monarchs healthy.
"People tend to love Monarchs to death," Altizer said.
Keeping humans from disrupting the butterflies' migration
will help keep them healthy.
Paul Cherubini
El Dorado, Calif.
--
Jason L. Kindall
Education & Research Director
Ozark Natural Science Center
1905 Madison 1305
Huntsville, AR 72740
Ph: 479-789-2754
Fax: 479-789-2728
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.onsc.us
--
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David M. Lawrence | Home: (804) 559-9786
7471 Brook Way Court | Fax: (804) 559-9787
Mechanicsville, VA 23111 | Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
USA | http: http://fuzzo.com
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"We have met the enemy and he is us." -- Pogo
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