Federal mission agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Geological Survey, play different but equally important roles. They conduct and support science that informs decisions affecting public health, environmental protection, energy security, economic development and public safety. Many of these activities generate public benefits that market forces alone are unlikely to adequately provide.
Scientific leadership depends on people, institutions, infrastructure and knowledge. These assets accumulate slowly over decades but can be weakened surprisingly quickly.
The current debate is not merely theoretical. Funding reductions, workforce losses and disruptions affecting universities and federal agencies are already reshaping parts of the American research enterprise.
A ‘golden age’ sounds good. Imagine how nice the White House would look if the outside was all gilded in 24 karat gold - shiny! The lights would really sparkle!
And if all else fails, 100% tariffs on an any country that dares to do competing research, with escalation to kidnapping or killing their leaders or bombing them if they don’t slow down quickly enough. That should bring the US back to the fore.
Also: elections! What a total waste of time and money. President for life and the president appoints everyone else. Then the research could really get moving!