So that you can explain it to the next reporter asking you why you didn’t gut biomedicine, but did gut physics, in the Obama-Reid-Pelosi debt bill:
Clay Westrope, Sen. Nelson’s spokesman, said the senator was not anti-science, but that he felt the stimulus bill was the wrong place to add financing for long-term research. “If they were in a spending bill, he would probably support them,” Mr. Westrope said.
Mr. Westrope said he could not explain why biomedical research was regarded as a stimulus, but physics research would not.
(Via Instapundit) You see, “biomedical” means “stem cell research” to the Democratic base, and they’ve been told that they’re in favor of that. However, “physics” means “nuclear energy” to those same base, and they’ve been told that they’re against that. It is politically safe, then, to cut physics research, but not safe to cut biomedical funding. At least from the Democrats’ point of view.
I’m glad that we cleared that up; aren’t you?
Moe Lane
PS: I’m also glad that we’ve established just how much pull Energy Secretary Chu has in this administration. Science advocates, take note: if you have a funding issue, you’re better off talking to Ben Nelson’s chief of staff. Or anybody else that Senator Nelson would actually listen to.
Crossposted at RedState.