74 Nobel Laureates endorse Obama

[chrmjenkins]

http://www.eetimes.com/rss/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=211601359

COMMACK, N.Y. — Arguing that Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois best understands the importance of science and technology in boosting U.S. competitiveness, 76 American Nobel Laureates have endorsed the Democratic candidate for U.S. president.

The Nobel winners released an Open Letter to the American People endorsing Obama that focused on his plan for expanding U.S. scientific and technology.

The scientists said they support "the measures he plans to take--through new initiatives in education and training, expanded research funding, an unbiased process for obtaining scientific advice and an appropriate balance of basic and applied research--to meet the nation's and the world's most urgent needs."

The presidential endorsement included the largest ever list of Nobel Laureates, eclipsing the 47 who endorsed Democratic Sen. John Kerry in 2004. The list includes all three American Nobel Laureates in science for 2008: Martin Chalfie of Columbia University and Roger Tsien of the University of California at San Diego, who shared the chemistry prize; and Yoichiro Nambu of the University of Chicago, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics.

Chalfie has also recorded a YouTube video explaining his endorsement. "Barack Obama's administration will continue to keep us the envy of the world," Chalfie said.

Now that the Nobel Laureates have weighed in on the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, we want to know what you think. Who are you supporting for president, and what in your opinion will be the key issue for the next administration?

Letter to the American people:

http://sefora.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/nobel_letter_v6.pdf

[gauchogolfer]

You can't get much more elitist than being a Nobel laureate.

[BoyBach]

You can't get much more elitist than being a Nobel laureate.


Or Socialistic.

[bradl]

Looking at this from a stereotypical view, this is exactly what divides this nation. On one end, you have the Blues with most multi-racial groups, and prim-and-propers, versus the Reds who are gun toting vocationists. If this endorsement doesn't show any indication of the extremes, nothing else will.

Truly a sad state of affairs, this has become. Not really saying, but I'm trying to say.. :o

BL.

[Scepticalscribe]

You can't get much more elitist than being a Nobel laureate.

Not elitist. Merely honoured, recognised and respected for their contributions to the knowledge and culture of the world. BTW, how many Nobel laureates have come out for the Republicans?
Cheers

[BoyBach]

Not elitist. Merely honoured, recognised and respected for their contributions to the knowledge and culture of the world. BTW, how many Nobel laureates have come out for the Republicans?
Cheers


Off the top of my head, there's Dr. Kissinger. (That about sums it up! ;) )

[AP_piano295]

Not elitist. Merely honoured, recognised and respected for their contributions to the knowledge and culture of the world. BTW, how many Nobel laureates have come out for the Republicans?
Cheers

Have you seen Palin?

[Scepticalscribe]

Have you seen Palin?

Unfortunately, yes.

Cheers

[Anuba]

Looking at this from a stereotypical view, this is exactly what divides this nation. On one end, you have the Blues with most multi-racial groups, and prim-and-propers, versus the Reds who are gun toting vocationists. If this endorsement doesn't show any indication of the extremes, nothing else will.

Truly a sad state of affairs, this has become. Not really saying, but I'm trying to say.. :o

BL.
The simple fact of the matter is that the USA is too large and unwieldy to be held together without cracking. The only ones who have succeeded (if briefly) in keeping several hundred million people united across a vast geographical area are China and the Soviet Union, where any attempt at division resulted in a bullet in your head. Small democracy - yes. Huge totalitarian dictatorship - yes. Huge democracy - no.

You should just cut the US up in pieces and keep the federation as a monetary union, like the EU, and let the states mind their own business.

[obeygiant]

You should just cut the US up in pieces and keep the federation as a monetary union, like the EU, and let the states mind their own business.

I believe thats exactly what we have now. The United States of America. Where do you think the EU got the idea?

[Anuba]

I believe thats exactly what we have now. The United States of America. Where do you think the EU got the idea?
In the EU, we don't elect a federal president. We don't pay federal taxes. We have our own governments. We speak different languages. Some of us use our own currencies. "Division" is a non-issue, because we have no intention of uniting into a big unwieldy mess. Are the Finns "gun toting vocationists"? If so, great for them. Are the Spaniards a bunch of multi-racial groups? Great! More elbow power to them. Are the Britons prim-and-propers? Awesome, let's drink to that.

[arkitect]

In the EU, we don't elect a federal president.

Isn't Tony Blair canvassing for that job?
:confused::eek:

[IJ Reilly]

What a bunch of eggheads. What do they know?

[abijnk]

In the EU, we don't elect a federal president. We don't pay federal taxes. We have our own governments. We speak different languages. Some of us use our own currencies. "Division" is a non-issue, because we have no intention of uniting into a big unwieldy mess. Are the Finns "gun toting vocationists"? If so, great for them. Are the Spaniards a bunch of multi-racial groups? Great! More elbow power to them. Are the Britons prim-and-propers? Awesome, let's drink to that.

Well, perhaps if our states were more like countries and contained only like-minded people your idea might work, but as it is, you will find every extreme in every state.

[IJ Reilly]

Well, perhaps if our states were more like countries and contained only like-minded people your idea might work, but as it is, you will find every extreme in every state.

The states are already a lot like countries. They are sovereign, they have their own legislatures and governors. The power of the federal government is limited by design.

One thing I find that most people who don't live here fail to grasp is that government in the US is probably more decentralized than anywhere in the world.

[takao]

The states are already a lot like countries. They are sovereign, they have their own legislatures and governors. The power of the federal government is limited by design.

here the "Länder" also have their own legislatures and "governors" ("Landeshauptmann")


One thing I find that most people who don't live here fail to grasp is that government in the US is probably more decentralized than anywhere in the world.

true the US states have more impact on legislature but in terms of structure it's not something novel, it's some sort of federal republic just like many other countries

[IJ Reilly]

true the US states have more impact on legislature but in terms of structure it's not something novel, it's some sort of federal republic just like many other countries

Canada's provinces are also fairly independent of the federal government.

The US system is not novel perhaps, but I believe more decentralized in terms of the power held by state and local government and the restraints on federal powers are greater. Of even more importance I believe is that the states are only loosely tied to the national political parties, and local governments are detached completely. Political offices below the state level are almost entirely non-partisan. I don't think that's very common.

[Iscariot]

Canada's provinces are also fairly independent of the federal government.

The US system is not novel perhaps, but I believe more decentralized in terms of the power held by state and local government and the restraints on federal powers are greater. Of even more importance I believe is that the states are only loosely tied to the national political parties, and local governments are detached completely. Political offices below the state level are almost entirely non-partisan. I don't think that's very common.

Interesting information that I was not aware of. Canada's provinces are similarly independent, but that varies from province to province. A province like Ontario is vastly affected by the federal government, whereas a province like Quebec is far less affected. There also tends to be a certain amount of "province loyalty" within the federal government during minority governments, wherein the federal government will court provinces based on which direction the province and it's constituents are likely to head.

[Thomas Veil]

You can't get much more elitist than being a Nobel laureate.They didn't forget about the "everyman". Obama tried to get 74 plumbers to endorse his campaign, but they were all out stealing Obama yard signs.

[Dmac77]

Or Socialistic.

Precisely. If Lenin was still alive, he would endorse Obama for being a a supporter of "Mother Russia".

Don

[Thomas Veil]

Precisely. If Lenin was still alive, he would endorse Obama for being a a supporter of "Mother Russia".

DonI thought it was Bush who looked into Putin's eyes and saw his soul.

[Iscariot]

Precisely. If Lenin was still alive, he would endorse Obama for being a a supporter of "Mother Russia".

Don

I typically stay out of these Obama vs. McCain debates, in no small part because I honestly don't much care for Obama or his policies. But this is really getting tiresome. There are plenty of good, valid, concrete and real reasons not to vote for him. It could simply be that you prefer a conservative ideology to a moderate or liberal one. Why isn't that a good enough reason? It would at least be honest. All of these completely dishonest arguments about socialism and terrorist connections are not only completely absurd from a rational standpoint, but they make their proponents seem crude, uneducated and unscrupulous. These same individuals then cry foul over how supposedly liberal this forum is, and how they're not getting a fair shake.

If you're not going to vote for Obama or if you don't like him, at least do it for honest reasons.

[abijnk]

The states are already a lot like countries. They are sovereign, they have their own legislatures and governors. The power of the federal government is limited by design.

One thing I find that most people who don't live here fail to grasp is that government in the US is probably more decentralized than anywhere in the world.

I know how our government works, I was just referring directly to Anuba's insinuation that all the states contain within them like-minded people. If all our states were split up into separate countries politics would stay the same. That is evidenced by a lot of the state races going on this year. Some of them are even nastier than the presidential race.

[Dmac77]

I typically stay out of these Obama vs. McCain debates, in no small part because I honestly don't much care for Obama or his policies. But this is really getting tiresome. There are plenty of good, valid, concrete and real reasons not to vote for him. It could simply be that you prefer a conservative ideology to a moderate or liberal one. Why isn't that a good enough reason? It would at least be honest. All of these completely dishonest arguments about socialism and terrorist connections are not only completely absurd from a rational standpoint, but they make their proponents seem crude, uneducated and unscrupulous. These same individuals then cry foul over how supposedly liberal this forum is, and how they're not getting a fair shake.

If you're not going to vote for Obama or if you don't like him, at least do it for honest reasons.

It's not nice to assume that I'm uneducated. You know what they say about ASS-U-M-ING

And how is "Income Redistribution" not a socialist policy?

Don

[Iscariot]

It's not nice to assume that I'm uneducated. You know what they say about ASS-U-M-ING

"Seem" is not synonymous with "is". QED.
And how is "Income Redistribution" not a socialist policy?

Obama doesn't believe in anything remotely close to income redistribution. I strongly suggest you actually have a look at some real socialist party platforms.

[IJ Reilly]

I know how our government works, I was just referring directly to Anuba's insinuation that all the states contain within them like-minded people. If all our states were split up into separate countries politics would stay the same. That is evidenced by a lot of the state races going on this year. Some of them are even nastier than the presidential race.

I was just amplifying that point.