It’s been a while since we touched on the US elections here at the Great Beyond, but there are a few developments you may find interesting (or worrying).
First up, The Scientist has been asking which biologist would be the best president of the United States. (We shall soon address the fact that chemists obviously have a much better skill set and are far more suited to rule.)
At the moment microbiologist Rita Colwell is out in front, with 25% of the roughly 200 votes cast. Harold Varmus is in second place on 16.l% and E.O Wilson and Craig Venter are in third and fourth. Lipid gurus Brown and Goldstein are in last place, which seems to indicate power-sharing is not something the American public are keen on.
More politics below the fold.
Over at Foreign Policy magazine they’re looking at the worst ideas candidates McCain and Obama have come up with, the “terrible ideas that could leave America poorer, weaker, and less respected in the world”. A lot of these have a scientific bent.
So FP thinks Obama’s plans to boost ethanol subsidies will be bad for the economy, consumers and the planet. And his backing of coal-to-liquid fuels is most definitely a “bad move”.
On to McCain, whose takes fire for his plan to support abstinence-only sex-education and to build 45 new nuclear power plants. FP also takes issue with his ‘weak’ plans for carbon cap and trade and his enthusiasm for more offshore drilling.
Obama also recently answered a list of questions prepared by the Science Debate 2008 group on topics such as genetics, education and climate change. His answers seem to have been generally well received in the bloggosphere. McCain has said he too will answer the questions.