Gore Calls for Scientists to Engage in Politics

At the 2009 International Day of Peace held on September 21 in New York City, former Vice President Al Gore addressed a crowd of scientists and urged them to become involved in politics, but added with a smile, "Keep your day job."

Citing how other scientists have joined the Administration, Gore said, "Scientists can no longer in good conscience accept this division between the work you do and the civilization in which you live...We do have the capacity to make this generation one of those generations that changes the course of humankind. The stakes have never been higher."

US Secretary of Energy Doctor Steven Chu was amongst the first scientists tapped by President Obama to serve in the administration. However, Chu's political engagement had begun before the 2008 Presidential Election cycle, when an organization called Science Debate 2008 entreated Democratic and Republican candidates to engage in a national debate on science issues.



As a sign of the times, faith trumped science in the public arena. Science Debate 2008 chased the candidates throughout the campaign season. During the run-up to the Pennsylvania primary, Obama and Clinton put their campaign markers down on a faith-based conversation instead, which McCain (not renowned for his position on faith) declined. In a last ditch effort to establish a conversation, Science Debate 2008 acquiesced to receive written responses from the final majority party candidates, Obama and McCain, to questions that only glazed the topic on which environmentalists and scientists craved to vet candidates. Ironically, the Green Party, largely seen as the environmentalist party, was shut out despite efforts to get one of its Presidential candidates, Kent Mesplay, Ph.D., an environmental scientist in on the debate.

Faith Before Science Leaves Greens In the Cold

While presidential frontrunners Clinton and Obama have refused to debate over matters of Science at the Science Debate 2008 on April 18, the Democratic candidates are eager to address issues of Faith at the Forum on Faith Issues on April 13. McCain has not yet committed to either. Logistical conflict has been cited, but given the importance of Science, why does it get the short shift?

"This is not a niche debate, the future economic success of the United States depends on out-performing the competition with smart people and smart ideas. Without the best education system and aggressive investments in basic research and development we will become a second rate economic power. We hope the candidates for president take this very seriously."

-Craig Barrett

Chairman, Intel

Green Party Presidential Candidates would love to take this seriously, but they were not invited, nor even responded to when inquiries were made, according to Green Party Presidential candidate Kent Mesplay, Ph.D. of Science. He along with fellow Grassroots Presidential candidates Kat Swift and Jesse Johnson will stage their own debate in Pennsylvania mid-April, both to discuss their deep concerns related to Science and to protest their non-representation at a forum where they feel they have some stake in being heard.

The supporters of the Science Debate 2008 include a list of prominent institutions, company executives and politicians. It has been planned for months, but what do you do if you throw a debate and no one shows up?

Depending upon what happens to Clinton in the next few primaries, perhaps after Pennsylvania's, the organization will hope to have a debate in Oregon before the state's primary in May.


resources:
Science Debate 2008
Forum on Faith
Plan B for the Science Debate

Scientists Want Issues Debated but Candidates Won't Commit

The Pennsylvania state primary is looming, and scientists are planning for presidential candidates (polling at 15%+) to hold a debate on science-related issues on April 18 at the Franklin Institute (http://www.sciencedebate2008.com). Unfortunately, none of the candidates have agreed to attend, according to a press officer for the organization.

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