Those very same liberals that love to cite Ike's cautionary words about the MIC somehow remain totally ignorant of, or conveniently gloss over the fact that it was but one of two trends Eisenhower addressed in that address. The next time you hear some liberal spouting off about, Eisenhower and 'the military industrial complex,'be sure to hammer them with your concern about, 'scientific-technological elite.' From Ike's speech:
"Akin to, and largely responsible for the sweeping changes in our industrial-military posture, has been the technological revolution during recent decades.
In this revolution, research has become central, it also becomes more formalized, complex, and costly. A steadily increasing share is conducted for, by, or at the direction of, the Federal government.
Today, the solitary inventor, tinkering in his shop, has been overshadowed by task forces of scientists in laboratories and testing fields. In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research. Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity. For every old blackboard there are now hundreds of new electronic computers.
The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present and is gravely to be regarded.
Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite."
Read Eisenhower quotation in post 12.
Thanks for the post, Joe. I am reminded that Perry is being blasted because he gave credence to an education plan offered by Jeff (?) that said basically the same thing. He was saying universities are spending much more money on aimless research than on teaching students and the costs for tuition keep going up,up, up.
That's the new normal. You'd be surprised at how many people assume I work for the government when I tell them I work in a research lab.