Some reflections on the federal R&D budget

A budget is always an interesting document. As it involves the hard reality of money and the specific allocation of finite and limited resources, it tends to be a good indicator of the priorities and values in those making it up and footing the bill. This is, of course, true of the federal budget. It can be argued that this is especially true of the federal budget for research and development. As R&D is, by definition, a forward-looking activity, national spending in this area should be a particularly sensitive reflection of the nation's perception of its problems and its hopes for the coming years. It is the clearest single indication of the public's perception of the importance and the specific role of the science and technology community in maintaining and enhancing the nation's welfare and security. The fiscal 1982 federal budget for R&D proposed by the now departed Carter Administration is no exception. As pointed ...