By Henry Kelly, Ph.D.

The 2008 election presents stark choices that will determine whether we will prosper in a global economy or be crushed by it, whether we will make a serious effort to tackle unsustainable energy production and greenhouse gas production, whether we will be able to maintain the momentum of discovery in medicine and translate basic science research into tools that can improve the quality of life for all Americans. Some of the candidates are offering sharply different views about how these issues should be addressed others are ignoring them or offering only sound bites and rhetoric. Yet you’d scarcely know what’s at stake by reading the avalanche of election news that seems determined to cover elections the same way they cover sporting events and celebrity gossip. Whether the candidates or the press are to blame for this state of affairs, it is clear that something new is needed. Scientists and engineers will play an essential role and have a unique obligation to try to remedy the situation since many of the nations most critical challenges hinge on technical issues.

Much that we care about in America’s future hinges on wise management of science and engineering. It’s essential that we know how candidates plan to achieve the huge cuts in US emissions needed to avoid the potentially catastrophic impacts of climate change in ways that accelerate innovation, investment and growth? How will they ensure that we can detect dangerous materials moving through US and global transportation systems to prevent terrorism? What will they do to maintain the cycle of scientific advance, and invention that has placed US businesses at the forefront of modern innovation and provided the opportunity for all Americans to have rewarding jobs? What will they do to build an infrastructure of high-speed communication and transportation capable of supporting a productive economy? Will all Americans have the opportunity to learn the technical, communication, and collaborative skills needed to prosper? How will they ensure that the US maintains leadership in understanding the breathtaking details of how our bodies work and ensure that these insights translate efficiently into effective treatments that improve health for all? Will we be able to expand the use of nuclear electric power without increasing the danger that nuclear weapons will fall into the wrong hands? Success in these, and many other critical policy areas, depends heavily on Federal action both in providing incentives and regulations. Good policies require analysis biased on the best available information and they require decision-makers able to ask the right questions and make decisions in the public interest.

It’s obvious that voters must put enormous weight on a candidate’s character, values, and leadership skills. Few are eager to be ruled by narrow technocrats. But the fact that a candidate has looked closely at the key challenges facing America today is an important reflection of their values We can learn a lot about their values by seeing whether they are willing to confront key issues. Leadership means having the backbone to ask for expert opinion and deal openly with evidence even when evidence is painful. And it means being receptive to the unexpected new ideas that advances in science will create.

Americans deserve a clear discussion about the great issues being confronted in this year’s election so they can truly understand the positions of each candidate. SEA will use modern information tools to ensure that this happens. We hope that it will make it difficult for any candidate for federal office to avoid tough questions on tough issues from the people they hope to represent. And we hope that we can encourage candidates to deal directly with the critical and complicated choices our nation will speak to in the 2008 election.

Dr. Henry Kelly is the President of the Federation of American Scientists and the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Scientists and Engineers for America.