A&Q is a special series that inverts the classic Q&A, taking some of the most frequently posed solutions to pressing matters of policy and exploring their complexity.
In the summer of 2012, despite the controversy over the solar panel manufacturer Solyndra, a presidential candidate came out swinging for government funding of basic research:
Government has a role to play in innovation in the energy industry. History shows that the United States has moved forward in astonishing ways thanks to national investment in basic research and advanced technology.
That may sound like a classic Obama line, down to the allusion to history. In fact, the candidate was Mitt Romney. The 2012 GOP platform strongly supported government funding for research—making government research and development the closest thing in D.C. to a bipartisan value.
Government funding for research and development is a tough thing to write about. First, it mostly happens out of the public eye. Second, it’s filtered through many smaller agencies and sub-departments, making it hard to track.
It’s also subject to common misunderstandings. Contrary to the popular belief that it’s trending down, U.S. national research and development is in fact slowly increasing as a portion of gross domestic product. That said, American public investment in basic research is mostly flat: It’s industrial investment in development that’s driving the change. American universities are also investing more and more in basic research.