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Friday, 3 November

  • Newsnight
  • 3 Nov 06, 06:44 PM

bush203.jpgAre Republicans losing the evangelical vote in the US mid-terms because of scandal?

And Tony Blair says science is vitally important to Britain’s society and economy, but what does his government's record on supporting scientific research and development look like?

Join Kirsty at 10.30 on 91Èȱ¬ Two or live on the Newsnight website, then leave your comments and opinions below.

Comments  Post your comment

  • 1.
  • At 08:46 PM on 03 Nov 2006,
  • Bob Goodall wrote:

Dear Newsnight

I'm very confused about America, I think Bush is a genuinely good man. And many of the Christians who support him are likewise. I am a Christian and cannot why America is behaving in the way it is.

I do think we need to remember that they are our closest friends and allies and were crucial in preventing a Nazi or Japanese victory and in stopping the Russians overunning us, any of which would have being terrible indeed.

So when this is all over the next leaders of the US and the UK need to repair the damage done, and consider where forces should be deployed such as in the Congo or Darfur I would suggest, and how together we face and overcome the challenges ahead.

best wishes
Bob Goodall

  • 2.
  • At 11:11 PM on 03 Nov 2006,
  • Liam Coughlan wrote:

Given that the US and UK are joined at the hip, diplomatically and militarily at least, I would have expected far greater coverage on the 91Èȱ¬ of next week's US elections, at the least, a Saturday and Sunday edition of Newsnight this weekend. When will the 91Èȱ¬ wake up to the fact that news happens 24/7 and not just from Monday to Friday. A change in course in the war on terror will have direct implications for UK troops and the UK treasury.

The short but interesting reports on Newsnight relating to the US election reveal that Borat has tapped into the same vein as Karl Rove did in past elections. The people of Kazakhstan have little to fear from Borat, as people realise that the joke is on America, not Kazakhstan. The only kind of people that would fall for Borat are the same types that fell for Bush in the past.

We should ask ourselves the question if the USA is ready for a political opening towards other parties.

I will be giving the 91Èȱ¬ news about the elections here in Florida. Also my blog: alvarezgalloso.blogster.com has been doing some coverage.

  • 4.
  • At 11:22 AM on 04 Nov 2006,
  • Rick B wrote:

There should be more coverage of American politics on the 91Èȱ¬, a) because it's actually quite interesting, b) it affects us and the world, c) the Blair govt uses many of the same tricks as Bush's Republicans, usually a year or two later - a greater knowledge of Rovian "dirty tricks" would help inoculate the British public against it when our politicians try the same thing.

More coverage of the US elections:

Follow the fight and participate with your mouse:

Enjoy the slugfest!
Vaya con Gaia
ed

The American Mid-Terms

If the Republicans depend on evangelical America for their support (with its anti-gay, anti-abortion etc leanings), then in all reasonableness you'd expect them to lose. The recent sex scandals would point to that outcome. On the other hand they are more anti-Democrat than anything else, and since the President is under so much fire over Iraq, I reckon they will turn out to back him anyway, despite their own Iraq misgivings.

If they don't turn out in numbers they WILL lose as Democrats are straining at the leash to vote against Bush for more reasons than one.

Blair and Science

In the UK supporting R&D has never been as important in reality as in words. So although the R&D budget has doubled since Blair has been PM, the business side of the deal lacks direction. Why oh why do so many of OUR discoveries and inventions go to the USA for development, viz the world-wide web and the recent "invisibilty cloak"?

Ask how the Americans do it. Do they have a government department or an independent entrepreneur to move things on? Do we need a new UK government department, I ask hesitantly. Just another little thing for the PM to instigate before he leaves ofice,eh?


THE DEMISE OF SCIENCE

In the days of my youth the pinnacle of intellectual achievement used to be Physics. I was justifiably proud to gain a degree in Physics from Imperial College, even if it was only a Third, since IC was even then the leading university, and Physics was top of the heap within it. Then the situation of science as a whole could reasonably be related to the position of Physics.

Now the position is very different. To undertake basic research in Physics requires billions of dollars and facilities – such as CERN – miles across. Lecturing students about such work, and the abstruse mathematics which is now the main area of work, hardly prepares them to teach 14-15 year olds. A good teacher without this irrelevant information may do just as well; and often does better.

Even in science, the biosciences are now top of the heap. In addition, where effective management of people and resources is now our greatest challenge, the social sciences may become ever more important for society. On the other hand, I do just wish the exponents of these took just a bit of the scientific method from the natural sciences!

  • 8.
  • At 06:53 PM on 06 Nov 2006,
  • Brian J Dickenson wrote:

Bush should go, it would be great if he took Blair with him.

I haven't been up to anything recently, but so it goes. Such is life. What can I say? Pretty much not much exciting going on to speak of. I haven't gotten much done lately, but I don't care.

  • 10.
  • At 05:57 AM on 31 Jan 2007,
  • wrote:

Witchcraft is, is not evil

  • 11.
  • At 01:14 PM on 22 Feb 2007,
  • wrote:

Vegetarianism is bad, is not bad for your health

  • 12.
  • At 10:59 AM on 25 Feb 2007,
  • wrote:

A full body x-ray scan is an effective method of maintaining a high level of security

  • 13.
  • At 03:23 AM on 10 Mar 2007,
  • wrote:

Doctors should have, should not have the permission to end the life of a terminally ill patient

  • 14.
  • At 01:57 PM on 20 Mar 2007,
  • wrote:

The U.S.-Mexican border fence works, doesn't work

  • 15.
  • At 11:58 PM on 21 Mar 2007,
  • wrote:

Sex offenders should be, should not be castrated

  • 16.
  • At 01:02 PM on 21 May 2007,
  • wrote:

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  • 17.
  • At 02:04 PM on 27 May 2007,
  • wrote:

Sex offenders should be, should not be castrated

  • 18.
  • At 10:37 AM on 30 Sep 2007,
  • wrote:

Witchcraft is, is not evil

  • 19.
  • At 03:35 PM on 16 Oct 2007,
  • wrote:

Women are not, are fairly portrayed in the media

  • 20.
  • At 02:01 PM on 19 Oct 2007,
  • wrote:

Cigarette ads do influence, don't influence starting to smoke

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