Saturday, September 20, 2008

One of the many reasons I'm not voting for McCain

Do you like science? Do you like it when people discover things that make you life better? Do you like new drugs for illnesses? Do you like new materials that are better/ cheaper/ stronger/ greener? Did you think it was worth it when we put people on the moon, and the whole planet stopped and united in hope and elation for those few brief, precious moments? Then you like science research.

And the good Senator from AZ thinks that we can do without.

Total Iraq war spend = $580B. Estimated cost of manned mission to Mars = $80B. Annual Federal spend on Cancer research = $1.2B.

I'd trade the whole war for 2 trips to Mars and 4 centuries of cancer research.

I'm perhaps unfair, as the same article mentions McCain at least has sense enough to support some research, but I think it's totally fair to point out the R&D opportunity cost of the Iraq war, and use that to question the Senator's priorities. Looking to save money? End the giant, expensive, useless war. Don't go through the science research budget with a fine toothed comb. Penny wise, pound foolish.