Last month I noted that Tom Coburn (R-OK) introduced a resolution that would have eliminated funding for political science research at the National Science Foundation. I was delighted to discover this morning that ScienceInsider reported last week that the Coburn amendment was soundly defeated: 36 to 62. I am disappointed that 36 senators voted for the amendment. It's important to note that five Democrats joined 31 Republicans in voting for the amendment.
[I]t wasn't strictly a party-line vote. Five moderate Democrats--Senators Max Baucus of Montana, Evan Bayh of Indiana, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, and Jim Webb of Virginia--apparently agree with Coburn's argument that NSF, with a budget of $6.9 billion, is "wasting" federal dollars by spending $9 million a year to support research in the field.You can find how your Senator voted by clicking here.
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