January 20, 2009 11:32AM
A reference to research on embryos?
Ted Olsen
Unclear what, exactly, President Obama meant in his Inaugural Address when he said, "We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost."
But expect a fair bit of parsing of it in the near future.
Posted by Ted Olsen on January 20, 2009 11:32AM
Comments
It is most likely an attack on creationism and faith-based initiatives.
Posted by: Dave at January 20, 2009
I caught that too Ted ... and wondered.
Posted by: cas at January 20, 2009
I would assume it has nothing to do with faith based initiatives and creationism but rather the politicization of science research under Bush. There have been many well publicized cover-ups and/or burying of science that didn't agree with the party line.
Posted by: Adam S at January 20, 2009
I think the interpretations I am seeing here are jumping the gun. He could very well be referring to restoring the emphasis of science to discover and human benefit as opposed to the commercialized market it has become, often at the expense of human life. Let's wait and see before presuming the worst.
Peace,
Jamie
Posted by: Jamie Arpin-Ricci at January 20, 2009
I'm pretty sure all he was referring to was how the Bush administration squelched any science that didn't line up with their ideas...in other words, pretty much everything. :p
Posted by: Sara G. at January 20, 2009
I think it could have been a reference to global warming as well as what the other's mentioned in their comments!
I guess he thinks we have been living in the Dark Ages during Mr. Bush's presidency! How annoying!
Posted by: Pam at January 20, 2009
"Quality of Care" is a technical term that means using the technology we already have according to the standard recommendations.
Here's a good summary of the issue from the Kaiser Foundation:
http://www.kaiseredu.org/topics.asp?id=70&isID=30&refID=31&sidenav=249&smart=59
Posted by: Janet R. at January 21, 2009
I'm sure it is probably both generally about the "politicization" of science and specifically the embryonic stem cell issue.
But Obama's protestations about the "politicization" of things run and funded by the government strikes me as ironic, naive and hypocritical. Government is a political beast. Things connected to it are politicized as a result of their connection to it. Now, I suspect, that things like science (among other things) will simply be "politicized" in a fashion more palatable to Barack Obama and his adoring followers (worshipers?)
If people want to get the politics out of science (or anything else), then I suggest you first get the science (or whatever else) out of politics (i.e., reduce or eliminate government funding for it and leave it private funding).
Posted by: CRC at January 25, 2009
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