The Top American Science Questions, by sciencedebate.org

"Science now affects every aspect of life and is an increasingly important topic in national policymaking.

"ScienceDebate.org invited thousands of scientists, engineers and concerned citizens to submit what they felt were the the most important science questions facing the nation that the candidates for president should be debating on the campaign trail.

"ScienceDebate then worked with the leading US science and engineering organizations listed at left to refine the questions and arrive at a universal consensus on what the most important science policy questions facing the United States are in 2012.

"Candidates readily debate jobs and the economy even though they are not economists; they debate foreign policy and military intervention even though they are not diplomats or generals; they debate faith and values even though they are not priests or pastors. We call on the candidates for President to also debate these Top American Science Questions that affect all voters' lives."

OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Education     Barack Obama: 100,000 new science & math teachers over the next decade.     Barack Obama: Educate to Innovate: new national STEM Master Teacher Corps.     Mitt Romney: Higher spending rarely correlates with better results.

Energy & Oil     Barack Obama: First-ever carbon pollution limits for new oil & coal plants.     Barack Obama: $90B for clean energy; biggest investment in history.     Barack Obama: All-of-the-above approach to reduce foreign dependence .     Mitt Romney: No consensus on extent of global warming or human activity.     Mitt Romney: $90B on green energy is better spent on private research.     Mitt Romney: With Canada & Mexico,2020 North American energy independence.     Mitt Romney: Use all energy sources, without stifling energy production.     Mitt Romney: Feds take 307 days to permit oil drilling; states take 10.

Environment     Barack Obama: First reform of food safety laws in more than 70 years.     Barack Obama: Bolster the use of organic farming methods.     Barack Obama: National clean water framework: protect America's waters.     Barack Obama: Establish Great Lakes Restoration and National Ocean Policy.     Barack Obama: Monitor health of fisheries & establish "pollution diet".     Mitt Romney: FDA should collaborate with businesses they monitor.     Mitt Romney: Clean Air & Water Acts are significantly out of date.     Mitt Romney: Welcome input from fisherman to help protect fisheries.     Mitt Romney: Mercury rule spends $10B to reduce $6M in pollution.

Foreign Policy     Barack Obama: Prepare for global pandemics with global partners.

Free Trade     Barack Obama: Develop alternatives to importing rare earths from China.

Government Reform     Mitt Romney: Regulatory cap: Repeal outdated regulations to make new ones.

Health Care     Barack Obama: Too many Americans skip preventive care due to cost.     Mitt Romney: ObamaCare drives medical device jobs overseas.     Mitt Romney: Develop countermeasures for global pandemics.     Mitt Romney: Preventive vaccines require robust R&D enterprises.

Technology     Barack Obama: Double funding for key research agencies.     Barack Obama: Invest 3% of GDP in public & private R&D.     Barack Obama: Free and open Internet is essential to modern economy.     Barack Obama: Make science policy decisions based on facts, not ideology.     Barack Obama: Send humans to Asteroids by 2025 & Mars by 2030s.     Mitt Romney: Innovation is the key to economic growth and job creation.     Mitt Romney: Government has no role in "managing" the Internet.     Mitt Romney: Net Neutrality imposes government as a central gatekeeper.     Mitt Romney: Space crucial to national security & international standing.     Mitt Romney: Rare earth scarcity driven by regulation, not economics.

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