patron002: I don't disagree that there are subconscious factors at work. There always are. But there are most definitely concrete, practical reasons why scientists might choose one party over another. Most likely not a lot of the Pacifist Party's membership includes soldiers. No doubt some of that has to do with feeling like they get more respect from the other political parties. But surely at least some of it has to do with the fact that it doesn't make sense to belong to a party that wants to put you out of business. So you're right, in addition to showing a willingness to fund research the Dems also pay scientists a lot more respect and that only reinforces the propensity to vote for them. But for the same reason that I don't think people whose top priority is overturning Roe v. Wade will be voting for Obama, I don't think people who want their research funded so they can eat and do their jobs will be voting for a person who ridicules scientific research as a way of demonstrating that he'll be able to balance the budget. It might be the case that overall the two parties are very similar, but for many voting niches (and scientists comprise one) the wedge issues are all that matters.

I guess I'm more cynical than you about people's voting propensities. For people whose livelihoods depend on gov't decisions, I think they follow the money and the willingness to continue to let them do their jobs. My only point was that this has less to do with ideology than with being left alone. Sadly, for science, I think either the Obama or McCain presidency will not be great...but I think that McCain is more hostile to funding research overall.

And, not that I want to really start this debate, as a scientist I would prefer that legislators of either party would refrain from co-opting scientific theories and results they don't understand to advance their own political agendas. If I believed either party really cared about my results it might be different, but in my experience they don't. It's just that at the moment the Republicans want to actively suppress my (figuratively) work...that I'm not so happy about.