Voter education initiatives focused on research, science and health are gaining critical mass, as advocacy and professional groups work to convince presidential candidates to make these issues part of their platforms. The message for voters is that they must tell candidates that these topics are important.
Research!America and a coalition of 27 other organizations continue to promote Your Candidates-Your Health: Presidential Primaries 2008 to voters and candidates. The site features presidential candidates' responses to our questionnaire on health and research, public opinion poll findings on these issues and an e-mail sign-up for research advocacy alerts. Visit www.yourcandidatesyourhealth.org.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science, Association of American Universities and Richard Lounsbery Foundation have launched an online resource devoted to science and technology in the 2008 presidential campaign: http://election2008.aaas.org/. The site features candidates' positions on science and technology plus news stories, policy reports, election calendars and other resources. Visitors can also register for e-mail updates.
The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology has launched ScienceCures to raise the profile of federal funding for medical research among candidates and the public. The initiative encourages scientists to call on candidates to reinvigorate our national investment in scientific research. At www.sciencecures.org, visitors can contact candidates, write letters to news media and even register to vote.
A Kaiser Family Foundation site, www.health08.org, offers resources to track health issues during campaign season. It includes comparisons of candidates' health care proposals, the public's views about health issues and about the candidates, videos and podcasts from the campaign trail, and an events calendar.
Help shape the debate in this year's presidential election process! Visit all of these sites to become informed and tell candidates you want to know their views on research, science and health.