"Federal funding of basic science dropped in recent years..."

Hummm.... Federal funding of religion has been zero for over 200 years, yet churches and even church-associated schools and colleges have continued to exist.

Science has no more claim to "truth" than History, Religion or (shudder) Politics!

Good science, like good history, religion and politics, tests claims and attempts to seek the truth. Bad science, like bad history, religion and politics attempts to profit from unfounded claims, rumor and inuendo.

Unfortunately, we have too much BAD science, history, religion and politics being practiced in this country.

If you want more federal funding of GOOD science, then I'd ask how we can trust politicians to decide what is GOOD given we have yet to come up with a difinitive way to test for GOOD polticians.

Suggestion: let the government fund only what is necessary; let the people keep the money the government would have spent on what politicians think is GOOD. I trust the broad spectrum of free citizens to donate and/or invest those funds better than politicians.