Please check out http://www.sciencedebate2008.com/www/index.php?id=40. You'll find a fairly comprehensive plan and policy that Barack Obama has established. Warning! It is not sound bytes, and will take some time to read.
I feel that this demonstrates the positive and eliminates the negative. It is what he will do. There are only two negative references to the Bush administration.
There is certainly a lot of room for discussion, but this is a clear starting point, and it is a starting point I can accept and embrace. I just wish I could help, and be a part of it. Maybe I can.
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First, it is sad that McCain has not answered (or that his answers are not published here).
Question 6 about pandemics. Obama only answered the question as it related to bio-terrorism, although some of his answer COULD be aimed at responding to any pandemic. No mention of preventing or containing or limiting a non-terrorist pandemic.
Question 10 about water. Water conservation seems to be Obama’s only concern. Another concern includes potability: is it fit or suitable for drinking (not an assumption that can be made about many suppliers of water to our homes). National distribution is another discussion. I can guarantee you that if the Columbia River ran through Arizona, it would NEVER make it to the sea, which is also NOT a good “solution” (see question 9 Ocean Health). But maybe there is only so much one man can do.
Question 12 about scientific integrity. Saying “government decisions should be based on the best- available, scientifically-valid evidence” is just bad policy. I am recalling (with frustration) EVERY traffic engineer saying “it’s being done the best way possible” whenever some dissatisfaction with traffic-handling was brought up. Baloney! “Best” is NOT a quality that is determined by engineering or science or mathematics. “Best” is a SOCIAL decision. What should the balance be between efficiency and safety? What should we expect to accomplish knowing that people will die or be damaged in that effort? These are examples of questions that society needs to ask and answer for almost ANY endeavor we undertake. There is no engineering curve for these dilemmas, although science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) can help us to evaluate decisions, we should not delude ourselves that we are BASING our decisions on STEM. I would like to believe that Obama just chose the wrong words for me to read.
Question 14 about health. Still, the notation of wealth vs health was not brought up. The data seem to show that the wealthier you are the healthier you are. This is true in United Kingdom (where it was first discovered) as well as the USA. It is not based on health-care systems, or JUST for poor folks, but across EVERY range of economic strata. And in the USA, don’t be black if you want to be in the healthier group (not so prevalent in other cultures around the world). And don’t live in certain sections of cities (closely tied to wealth). To really solve this dilemma will take someone other than our 2 current candidates, so I am not surprised that it was not addressed.
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