A first glance at Obama's proposed 2011 budget, and I feel relief. Given earlier rumors of a freeze on discretionary spending I had feared the worst, but it seems our government is investing heavily in science as way out of the current economic mess. The National Science Foundation (NSF) may see an 8% increase- great news for biologists! NSF is the primary source of support in this country for basic science, including myrmecology.
Incidentally, the New York Times' graphics department deserves a raise. Their simple interactive summaries of complex issues are absolutely brilliant- the 2011 budget graph is no exception.
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Yeah, that's one heck of a graphic!
I note a 10% cut to the Army Corps of Engineers over in the Natural Resources rectangle. That's good and bad:
-- Less money to construct gargantuan, environmentally destructive, infrastructure projects
-- Less money to deconstruct old gargantuan, environmentally destructive, infrastructure projects.
No reduction for the Tobacco Trust Fund, whatever that is.