What are the three most important things the next U.S. president needs to do for science? To cut through the jargon and find an answer, we bring you the DISCOVER Science Policy Project, in which we give a group of the country’s most celebrated scientists and thinkers the chance to state their views. All past responses can be found here.
DANIEL HILLIS
Computer scientist, inventor, and author
Look at any list of the most important “American” scientific accomplishments and you will see that they are in large part the accomplishments of immigrants. Our strength in science and technology is, and always has been, based on our willingness to welcome and support scientists from other nations. We need a president who will lead us back to our historical position of openness and generosity.
October 7th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
1) Level the playing field with equal subsidies for education (public, private, parochial and charter), in transportation (rail and light rail and trolley need to have equal subsidies to road and air), energy ( conservation and renewables like geothermal, heat pumps, wind, solar, etc need to have the same subsidies as nuclear, coal, oil (including military subsidies to defend foreign oil and sea lanes)….etc.
2) change the focus of taxation to consumption intead of production/invetment via a value added tax which would tax foreign imports equally with domestic goods/services.
End all tax subsidies for outsourcing and offshoring jobs and industries.
3) Close our borders to immigration but open invitations for statehood for Central America. WE need a moratorium on immigration.
4) unify korea and get our troops out of Korea. We can be invited back and have a joint base far away from China and Russia’s borders eliminating a potential flash point.
5) Europe must have a central military command. The US cannot defend Western Europe, Central Europe or Eastern Europe today if Europe doesnt pull its share for responsibility for defending the continent. They have to increase european populations, drop some living standards and increase military….but that should be our policy.