Andy
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2008
- Messages
- 3,497
Many years ago, my father hunted down a childhood friend through the internet, and reconnected with this long lost buddy. While he relayed the chronicle of his history, since he moved away from my fathers old stomping grounds, he told of how he became a chemical engineering professor at a large university.
He then said that he now spends most of his time.... in the lab performing experiments? No... in the lecture hall teaching students? No.... He said he now spends most of his time writing grants proposals. Most of his time, not working, but trying to convince the government that he needs the money, that the rest of us working, had taken from our checks in taxes.
I had a friend that lived a few doors down from my parents home, who is now a Bio-chemical engineer himself. Although I haven't asked about his personal mode of operation, I can remember him telling me about his time working for his post-doc, teaching a class for a professor that was never there. He was always in his office... not teaching students, not doing research... but writing grant proposals.
The key to grants is, they don't require any success. They don't require any effort. They get the money, and nothing comes of it. It's just gone. So I was interested, or rather terrified, by McCain's plan to spur research into batteries.
The background to this is the millions given to GM for battery research, that all did effectively, nothing. GM got easy tax money, they sold off what little information was discovered, made large profits, and tax payers got the bill. Thank you Government.
However, when I discovered that McCain wasn't doing a government handout, but rather a reward for successful advancement, I realized this was alright. Not the best option, but a step in the right direction.
As a constitutionalist, I am against any form of corporate welfare. Nevertheless, since the American public is too ignorant and stupid, and has crazy conspiracy theories like found on the drilling for oil thread, I realize government is going to do something, and this is rewarding productivity, unlike the democrap system of simply handing out money for nothing.
I wasn't surprised to see professors claiming it was a bad idea. After all, their "money for laziness" system was being threatened with a "money for productivity" replacement system. And amusingly they pointed out that the $300 million wouldn't likely cover the total cost of research. Well duh... the point is to make the private sector invest in the technology, that the private sector would be selling.
Why should we the public, pay to research a technology, that we the public would have to pay someone to get? Would you pay me to build you a house, then pay me to sell it too you?
"I want $100K to build the house, and you'll have to buy it from me for $300K after it's done" -Andy
"DEAL!" -Government and stupid US public in unison.
"How about you pay to research it, and we'll pay you just for the product" -Constitutionalist
Again, McCain's plan isn't perfect because it's still a form of corporate welfare... however it's a huge leap better than the liberal irresponsible grant system because it requires advancement and productivity to be rewarded. Like a military contract really.
He then said that he now spends most of his time.... in the lab performing experiments? No... in the lecture hall teaching students? No.... He said he now spends most of his time writing grants proposals. Most of his time, not working, but trying to convince the government that he needs the money, that the rest of us working, had taken from our checks in taxes.
I had a friend that lived a few doors down from my parents home, who is now a Bio-chemical engineer himself. Although I haven't asked about his personal mode of operation, I can remember him telling me about his time working for his post-doc, teaching a class for a professor that was never there. He was always in his office... not teaching students, not doing research... but writing grant proposals.
The key to grants is, they don't require any success. They don't require any effort. They get the money, and nothing comes of it. It's just gone. So I was interested, or rather terrified, by McCain's plan to spur research into batteries.
The background to this is the millions given to GM for battery research, that all did effectively, nothing. GM got easy tax money, they sold off what little information was discovered, made large profits, and tax payers got the bill. Thank you Government.
However, when I discovered that McCain wasn't doing a government handout, but rather a reward for successful advancement, I realized this was alright. Not the best option, but a step in the right direction.
As a constitutionalist, I am against any form of corporate welfare. Nevertheless, since the American public is too ignorant and stupid, and has crazy conspiracy theories like found on the drilling for oil thread, I realize government is going to do something, and this is rewarding productivity, unlike the democrap system of simply handing out money for nothing.
I wasn't surprised to see professors claiming it was a bad idea. After all, their "money for laziness" system was being threatened with a "money for productivity" replacement system. And amusingly they pointed out that the $300 million wouldn't likely cover the total cost of research. Well duh... the point is to make the private sector invest in the technology, that the private sector would be selling.
Why should we the public, pay to research a technology, that we the public would have to pay someone to get? Would you pay me to build you a house, then pay me to sell it too you?
"I want $100K to build the house, and you'll have to buy it from me for $300K after it's done" -Andy
"DEAL!" -Government and stupid US public in unison.
"How about you pay to research it, and we'll pay you just for the product" -Constitutionalist
Again, McCain's plan isn't perfect because it's still a form of corporate welfare... however it's a huge leap better than the liberal irresponsible grant system because it requires advancement and productivity to be rewarded. Like a military contract really.
