Quote:
|
Originally Posted by smooth
Mephisto,
The thing that pisses me off most is that if we are going to fund research with tax dollars taxpayers should:
a. receive commercial goods resulting from our funded research at a discounted rate
b. receive royalties into the tax coffers until the principle is repaid
c. recieve an excess of what we paid in some sort of reasonable amount, say 10-15%, just like a private lender would do.
|
Why?
Do you believe research into, say, the carcogenic features of nicotine should mean you get cheap cigarettes? Or research into global warming should result into you getting a free day-pass to Yellowstone Park? How about statistical analysis of road deaths and work on better vehicle safety offering you cheaper petrol?
Why the American
obsession with profit, fiscal return on investment (as opposed to knowledge return) and "capitalist market dynamics"?
What's wrong with, once in a while, just investing in research, just because
we need to know?!
Quote:
|
Why should tax payers eat crap every time we fund these things.
|
I would consider gene therapy research that resulted in a treatment for my niece, so she doesn't die in her 30's, as a shit sandwich I'd gladly eat.
Quote:
|
We take the risk by funding things that may never come to fruition,
|
So what? That sometimes happens. How about just disbanding schools, because not everyone makes it to college?!
Quote:
|
we bear the brunt when we pay for the products that are successful, and then we subsidize other places when they pay less than we do for the things we've developed.
|
I'm not sure I understand that point, but what I do understand is your position (and that of Mondak) has nothing to do with "we" and everything to do with "I". So what if some of "your taxes" (though I refuse to believe such a concept exists) are spent to help others? Are you really that selfish?
Quote:
|
Perhaps the excess I was proposing would go into an R&D coffer for future development. What a small and reasonable shift in funding policy and how much good and knowledge it would produce, in my opinion.
|
Again, I've lost you here. Could you rephrase?
Mr Mephisto