McCain won't fund basic science

Watching AC360 - a clip of McCain at campaign rally promising to veto any budget with earmarks, including (he's happy to point out) money to study bear DNA.

Gov. Palin previously ridiculed fruit fly research.

Without government funding of basic science, the U.S. pretty much loses whatever edge it has in the global marketplace.

Yeah - it's easy to ridicule any specific scientific study. (Can you believe it? We're paying hard-earned taxpayer dollars to study fruit flies!!!)...
Where do these folks think medical advances originate?
Basic physics research led to development of nuclear weapons - I'm not sure this a great example of the inherent value of the technology resulting from basic scientific research, but it does help make the case that basic science drives technological progress.

Go ahead, John: turn us into a country of Luddites.
This'll delight your base of "intelligent design" advocates!

Stop the madness!!!

p.s. No - I do not mean to imply that the ONLY value of basic science is its potential to lead to technological/economic advantage... but that is certainly ONE of the values of basic science!