Image by Rossana Henriques

While waiting to see whether or not the science debate actually happens, we have compiled an overview of the candidates’ stands on science.

Climate change and energy

Clinton and Obama propose a cap-and-trade program for carbon emissions. In a cap-and-trade program, the government would set a limit on the amount of carbon emissions companies could create. Those companies that manage to emit less than their limit could then sell their unused credits to a company that feels it will go over its limit.

According to Senator Clinton’s Web site, she proposes to use this cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions from 1990 levels by 80% by the year 2050. She would also try to require all federal buildings built after 2009 to have zero emissions. She proposes to increase car fuel efficiency standards to 55 mpg by 2030. Her platform includes funding a new research agency, Advanced Research Project Agency—Energy (ARPA-E), to perform basic energy research.

In the past, Clinton has voted for amendments on clean coal technology and renewable energy. Amendment 1614 would have provided $10 million to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal gasification. Amendment 1693 would have updated the Clean Air Act to run long and short term studies on the effects of renewable fuels on the environment. Neither of these amendments passed. She also voted for Amendment 1094 to require the Army Corps of Engineers to include the effects of global climate change in all studies.

Senator Obama also proposes a cap-and-trade program, with the goal of reducing carbon emissions “by the amount scientists say is necessary,” according to his Web site. The money raised would go to the development of clean energy and improving energy efficiency. Obama proposes to double research funding on clean energy such as wind and solar power. He also proposes a fund for the National Laboratories to translate this research into commercial products, and another $150 billion to biofuels.

Obama also voted for amendments 1614, 1693, and 1094. He also voted for the Consumer Protection and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007. This would have established a carbon capture and storage research program.

Senator McCain’s Web site doesn’t mention a cap-and-trade program specifically, just “harnessing market forces” to encourage alternative energies and decrease dependence on foreign oil, although he does emphasize the need for a clean environment. He did pass a bill last December on a cap-and-trade system. According to AAAS’s Web site, he supports nuclear energy but opposes ethanol. McCain did not vote on any of the energy amendments that Clinton and Obama voted on. He did, however, speak against drilling in Alaska in 2006.

Medical research

Senator Clinton’s Web site focuses on specific diseases and mentions how science can help. Cancer, autism, and AIDS are the focus of her platform. She acknowledges “the National Cancer Institute has 12% less purchasing power than it did four years ago.” She proposes to double the NIH and NCI budgets. She wants to provide $700 million on autism research, including identifying the cause and providing “evidence based” treatments. She also wants to double the NIH budget on AIDS research, including finding a vaccine and providing fact-based prevention strategies. Her Web site reiterates that she helped to get the emergency contraceptive, Plan B, approved when there was political interference at the FDA.

She has released a statement vowing to overturn the ban on federal funding of stem cell research. She has also voted for an amendment that would expand the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry as well as the National Cord Blood Inventory program.

Obama’s Web site vows to establish an independent institute to research effectiveness of medical treatments. He would allow Americans to buy their drugs overseas to keep prices down, and permit generic drugs under Medicare. He proposes to increase the NIH funding and improve coordination with the government and other research organizations. He wants to decrease the amount of mercury in fish and supports autism research. While a state senator, he introduced a bill in Illinois to allow stem cell research there and sponsored legislation on federal funding of more stem cell lines.

In Illinois in 2004, the state legislature developed a program to provide flu shots to lower income citizens, and Obama pushed for evidence to support this. He eventually went with the medical community’s advice to provide shots for high risk groups, even though it was politically unpopular. He has supported funding for an AIDS microbicide. He also would overturn the ban on federal funding of stem cell research and expand the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry and the National Cord Blood Inventory program.

John McCain’s Web site mentions setting aside federal money for disease research. He emphasizes public education to prevent obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, and to reduce smoking. He supports research on autism, including improving methods of diagnosing the disease.

While he claims to support stem cell research, he has been an opponent of research on cloning. He supports only using donated embryos that would have been discarded. He did vote for the amendment for the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry and the National Cord Blood Inventory program.

Science Policy and Education

Clinton wants to ensure that science and health education is based on “accurate and complete information,” according to her Web site. She has said that her science advisor would report directly to her, and not be “filtered through political advisors.” She has emphasized removing political constraints on science, such as keeping the government from altering scientific reports and constraining scientists. She has supported replacing the space shuttle. She proposed to increase the number of National Science Foundation (NSF) fellowships and the amount of each fellowship by 33%.

Obama says he supports increasing the NIH and NSF budgets. He proposes immigration reform, specifically of the H-1B program, to attract more scientists to America. He created programs in Illinois to help students meet math and science standards and to get jobs in high technology areas. He also created a scholarship program for minority students in the science and math fields. In the US Senate, he passed amendments to increase minority participation in the sciences. He proposes to allocate $18 billion, once he is president, for science education at all levels, but would pay for it by delaying NASA’s Mars program.

McCain is a supporter of NASA and the space program. He supports funding a program to bring men back to the moon, “accompanied by proper management and oversight to ensure taxpayers get the maximum return on their investment.” He said in 2002 that science advisor John Marburger’s remarks on climate change had “no credibility.” He has been involved in increasing H-1B visas and NSF funding.

If you are interested in learning more about the candidates’ science policies, two excellent sources are: The AAAS Web site at http://election2008.aaas.org and SEA’s (Scientist and Engineers for America) SHARP network at http://sharp.sefora.org.