Budgeting for Science: Presidental Responsibility

"Science," as it is categorized without verbal exactitude, is a new and troublesome concern of the Presidency. Executive oversight of science as it impinges on public policy is in part exercised, and can be appraised, in the context of budgetary decision-making. Political scientists will find it re warding to ponder the adequacy of the Presidential machinery for evolving science policy and balancing priorities within the discipline of the federal budget. Can the scientific community reasonably look to the federal government for the degree of sufficiency, stability, and venturesomeness of support which it seeks, given the competition of other urgent public needs for budgetary sustenance? Upon reflection, the institution of the Presidency for choosing priorities and tackling vexing techno logical questions is found to contain reassuring strengths. At the same time, preoccupation with the snarled traffic of relent less decision-making leaves unresolved a number of basic, long- term problems in the design of the relationship of science to government.