When science doesn’t inform policy, money can be cut from vital areas of the federal budget without an inkling of the consequences. “As Molly Ivins noted in the Chicago Tribune”:http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0509010009sep01,1,6491327.story?ctrack=1&cset=true, when the Congress did away with the Office of Technology Assessment in the 90s, they appear to have done away with forward-thinking federal budget spending that might have protected New Orleans in the face of Katrina.
You may not understand why physics is important, or math, but it’s all physical science. And when physical science is crippled, technological innovation is crippled. When the President no longer is informed about the applications of technology to save lives and prevent disasters, people die. If ever you needed a demonstration of why science must inform policy, look South.
Thanks to Mandeep for bringing this column to my attention.
