Friday, March 29, 2024

Bush needs to rethink budget

President Bush’s new budget includes little or no increase in programs that fund research projects here at the university. Bush’s budgets for the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy and the Department of Agriculture include small increases in spending that don’t keep up with the rate of inflation.

Instead of increasing Department of Energy money for research on conservation and alternative energy sources, Bush would rather drill oil wells in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Instead of increasing money to the National Science Foundation, Bush would rather eliminate arsenic standards (most students don’t realize that Ingham County, the home of MSU, is one of the 11 counties in Michigan that have found high arsenic levels in ground water). Instead of increasing funding for the Department of Agriculture, Bush decided to eliminate salmonella testing of the meat in children’s school lunches and then decided to change his mind after a public outcry.

I urge you to call or write Bush and tell him to change his priorities and give MSU the money it needs to make sure it remains a nationally respected research university.

Mark Brewer
Michigan Democratic Party chairman

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