We waste 100 of billions of dollars on highway pork alone. In two years CERN is going to give the EU a lock on High Energy Physics (with $600 million of our dollars, I might add.)
This is exceedingly bad news. This is the beginning of the end of our leadership in science, all because of ignorant and short sighted politicians on both sides of the aisle.
The French will stall until they get it. They will be come leader in the field based on our monies. I knew this would happen. We really need to get out if this and return to the historic pattern on US only energy research Armour nation interest. That is how we got our great scientific and technical leadership of the Cold War. The rot started with the cancellation of the Super Conducting Collider, really took off with the $50 billion boondangle (and technical transfer) of the ISS and now we arrive to the point that we are canceling our research plan to support Europes. It is all so stupid and needless. Or politician have given up on the nation. Years ago we would have not even considered such a thing. How decadent we have become.
If Kerry wins he will certainly give this over to the French.
They say it is "just politics" but it is really about the American taxpayer not getting fleeced. This new disgust me, I had thought better of the DOE under Bush.
We are on the same page.
We need to pull out of ITER and go our own way. No international partnerships
CD
I agree with you. The Space Race was beneficial to the US in making us compete scientificially with other nations. We can go this alone too. Especially something of such significance.