This is exemplary of what many academic supporters of the left have failed to anticipate. Even though leftist candidates express support for science and research, in reality their policies bankrupt government and inevitably they also lead to a significant reduction in available funding for science and research. After they get personally stung by democrat ‘program’ spending and the consequent budget shortfalls, I think it’s likely that a fair number of academics are going to have buyers remorse.
Many will counter that fiscally conservative candidates would do the same. Most of the leftist academics I've met are dogmatically leftist to the point of intellectual corruption.
There is some issue of whether the rationale for the research was honestly presented anyway. We are socially acquainted with some of scientists who sit on the NSF review committees. They wear their leftist bias like a badge of honor.
I suspect that it's more like the unionization of scientists. Sure, politicization of research funding is bad for the science, as unionization is often bad for productivity, but on an individual basis it's great. More money, easier living, guaranteed consistent future. For the 'scientists' who want a career instead of a living doing science, this will win them over.
Yep. We're already seeing it, but it will undoubtedly grow to epic proportions. The academic elites will end up choking on that buyer's remorse, too. See? There is a ray of sunshine in the middle of all this misery....