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Obama and Romney Respond To ScienceDebate.org Questionnaire

rhsanborn writes "President Barack Obama and Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney have both responded to a questionnaire on the 'most important science policy questions facing the United States.' The questionnaire was created by ScienceDebate.org, a group consisting of many influential organizations in science and engineering. The questions are on many topics including research, internet regulation, and climate change."

17 of 608 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Well that cinches it for me by Yvanhoe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    One wants a theocracy, the other call the PATRIOT act a crucial tool for the US government. I'm considering myself lucky I am not a US citizen, forced to choose between the plague and the cholera, as we say here...

    --
    The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
  2. Re:Well that cinches it for me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    http://share.banoosh.com/2012/09/02/romney-obama-the-same/
    That they both don't see a problem wiretapping and detaining Americans arbitrarily is very worrying.

  3. Love the global warming answer. by khasim · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From Romney:

    However, there remains a lack of scientific consensus on the issue â" on the extent of the warming, the extent of the human contribution, and the severity of the risk â" and I believe we must support continued debate and investigation within the scientific community.

    So ... more "research" instead of doing anything?

    But at least we know that we don't need more "research" to know that Obama is the problem:

    Nowhere along the way has the President indicated what actual results his approach would achieve â" and with good reason.

    Romney cannot spell out what HE would do but he can blame Obama for doing what Obama has done.

  4. Re:Fuck me. Romney has a case of.. by amRadioHed · · Score: 5, Insightful

    OTOH, his position makes inaction justifiable. Republican's will have us "wait for the science to come in" up until the floodwaters are approaching Denver.

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    We hope your rules and wisdom choke you / Now we are one in everlasting peace
  5. Mitt Romney must have a degree in BS by Dyinobal · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Mitt Romney's answers remind me of students who think that if they make an answer lengthy enough and yet stay away from saying anything concrete they can't get an answer right on a test. I guess no one ever told him it was always content that mattered and not quantity.

    I'm not a huge fan of Obama but at least he keeps his answers concise and answer them with out going on for half a page or attacking his and then not answering the question at all. It's like Romney thinks he is in a debate on TV and not actually writing his answers down on for everyone to read an examine closely.

  6. Re:Fuck me. Romney has a case of.. by jd2112 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That's not what he said. In fact, this is pretty good news: both candidates actually admit the reality of AGW. He said the size of the effects hasn't been nailed down, and that the science should inform the political solutions rather than dictate them. Pretty sensible, for a politician.

    Translation: The polls show that denying global warming would cost more votes than acknowledging it.

    --
    Any insufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology.
  7. Re:Fuck me. Romney has a case of.. by cpu6502 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    >>>net neutrality "a solution looking for a problem."

    The problem is a company holding a monopoly (or duopoly) over the last ~25 miles of the internet. Net neutrality is simply a form of government regulation to prevent the monopoly from abusing its customers, just as the government regulates the electric, natural gas, and water monopolies.

    --
    My AC stalker: " I personally agree with your posts most of the time, but that won't keep me from modding you troll"
  8. Re:Well that cinches it for me by jmorris42 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Kinda doubt that Romney wants a theocracy. Unless you think he is an idiot you don't really believe that either. Mormons are a distinct minority with a history of persecution, on religious grounds. So unless he thinks his election will suddenly result in millions and millions of conversions it would be kinda daft to want to make a religious state that would, if history is a guide, have his people on the short list of those who go against the wall first. The fact they might go after the godless commies would be scant consolation.

    Please try to think before mindlessly parroting the standard talking points. Sometimes they don't apply. Sometimes they don't apply in such a screamingly obvious way that it just makes you look like a total idiot.

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    Democrat delenda est
  9. Re:Fuck me. Romney has a case of.. by crazyjj · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Don't you understand? Giving tax breaks to the wealthy and ending all government regulation and letting big corps do whatever the fuck they want is the CURE ALL of the 21-st century. It will make the economy strong, give us all great jobs, improve education, and make your dick bigger! Just give the wealthy and big corps everything they want and we'll all live in a fucking paradise on earth!

    Add in "And Obama sucks!" and I think that pretty much sums up Romney's answers to every question on this survey.

    --
    What political party do you join when you don't like Bible-thumpers *or* hippies?
  10. Re:Well that cinches it for me by aardvarkjoe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The president isn't supposed to be "in charge". He's merely supposed to execute the laws that have been passed by the Real body in chage: The Congress.

    Here's a fun game to play: listen to a speech by a presidential candidate, and count the number of times that he promises to do something, or complains about what his opponent will (or will not) do, or (in the case of the incumbent) talks about what he's already done, or (in the case of a non-incumbent) complains about what the incumbent should have done.

    Now count up how many of those things are actually the job of the executive branch. Most of the time, that number will be zero.

    Sometimes I think I would vote for anyone who I honestly believed would just do the president's job.

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    How can we continue to believe in a just universe and freedom to eat crackers if we have no ale?
  11. Re:Well that cinches it for me by crazyjj · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Kinda doubt that Romney wants a theocracy.

    I would be more accurate to say Romney wants a "Corporatocracy" or "Oligarchy of the Wealthy." All the Jesus shit is just a means to that real end.

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    What political party do you join when you don't like Bible-thumpers *or* hippies?
  12. Condensed Summary by dlsmith · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Q: How will you deal with [scientific challenge]?

    Obama: Create/expand a government program or incentive (with no explanation of what existing programs will have to be cut to compensate)
    Romney: Eliminate government regulations and let the industry take care of itself (with no explanation of how to deal with inevitable industry abuses)

    (How much you trust their answers or are concerned about their non-answers will probably depend on how much you subscribe to their political philosophy.)

  13. Re:Here be no surprises by smitty97 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Anyone who refers to workers as "Human Capital" like Romney does in the first answer (and on his website) has no connection to normal humans.

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    mod me funny
  14. Re:Fuck me. Romney has a case of.. by jd.schmidt · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Just to be clear, the UN's sinister plan to reduce population consists of only:

    Educating women to increase their personal economic choices, making birth control available and education men and women in their proper use so they can decide when to have children.

    I am glad people like you are around to save us from this.

  15. Re:Here be no surprises by NatasRevol · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Anyone that has $100M of net worth has no connection to normal humans.

    Hey honey want to take the kids to dinner this weekend?
    No, we can't, we had to buy clothes & shoes for them.

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    There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
  16. Re:Well that cinches it for me by PopeRatzo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Unfortunately too many people don't object when he walks-around issuing commands (or executive orders) as if he were the law-maker.

    When it comes to creating law by edict, the Supreme Court is far more guilty than any President.

    The president is limited by what executive orders can do. And executive orders are limited because they can be very easily repealed by the successor.

    But a Supreme Court creates permanent law, and even worse, permanently bends the course of entire categories of laws and there's fuck-all that either of the other branches of government can do without amending the Constitution.

    If you're worried about a branch of government that's grabbed far more power than intended by the Constitution, you have to put the Court first on the list.

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    You are welcome on my lawn.
  17. Re:Here be no surprises by Genda · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You live is this strange thing called a society. You went to its schools, you drive its roads, you use the water and sewers that run to the place you live. We have places like Mogadishu or the bush in central Africa where you and you money can go and have a lovely time all by your selves. Just don't yell when a lion eats you or a bandit shoots you, because you won't be able to protect yourself with your money (save the purchase of a lion gun.)

    If you really are someone completely out for themselves, with no interest is creating a cohesive society that looks after others and creates a strong and workable infrastructure for the benefit of that society, by all means, find yourself and island an go away nobody's stopping you depending on how much island you can afford. The rest of us look at the cost having a society capable of providing the basic needs for all or most, such that we can work together to create something even greater. I don't see that as an evil or a wrong. Of course the current government does use money in ways I don't agree, so I vote scallywags out whenever I get the chance.