Disband the National Science Foundation As Agent for Social Change

Open letter to Representative Neugebauer:

Randy,

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…

Sounds good, doesn't it? However like so many well intended programs in Congress, it has become something which was not intended by those original words. It has become an instrument for social change paid for by the taxpaying public. In addition to funds for the operation of the agency, it is the funding source for approximately 20 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted by America's colleges and universities. Its present criteria for allocating those funds are whether the applicants programs will help all underrepresented groups participate in science, enhance infrastructure for research and education, and promote teaching, training, and learning.

I call to your attention the fact that this is a taxpayer subsidy to education, which should be bearing its own costs through tuitions and fees. Traditionally graduate research in universities involves outside funding. Such funding has been supplied by private industry in the past and through the years has slowly been taken over by taxpayers as a general socialistic venture.

In these times of horrendous budget deficits I strongly suggest that Congress eliminate the NSF and allow the universities to handle their finances independently, without government funding and its related readjustment of the social system, with science as only an ancillary consideration.

Jobless Benefits and Income Taxes

Open letter to Representative Neugebauer:

The House holds the purse strings.

If you don't approve extending jobless benefits, you are perceived as uncompassionate. If you do ,you are perceived as a sucker.

If you extend lower income taxes to the rich, you are perceived as an unbridled capitalist lover.

Change the playing field, with vociferous announcements.

Give the rich lower income taxes as an incentive to create jobs. The rich can make jobs. The poor or middle class workers
cannot.

Extend unemployment benefits on a sliding scale. The longer one has had them, the less one receives per month.

Lower taxes will encourage the rich to create jobs. Reduced benefits will encourage the jobless to take the newly created jobs.