Frustrated howls have echoed in the halls of regulatory agencies, universities, and research institution almost since the current president's inauguration. Nobel laureates, environmental organizations and agency scientists have repeatedly condemned the administration's open antagonism towards global warming science and its proponents, reluctance to support meaningful changes to energy policy, its closure of the Office of Science and Technology policy, and supportive stance towards the teaching of creationism in schools.

Fortunately, the howls have been heard, at least by Science Debate Inc., the organizer of a proposed showdown on issues of science and technology called, what else, “Science Debate 2008.” Scheduled for April 18 in Philadelphia -- just before the Pennsylvania primary -- the debate will attempt to engage candidates on major issues of science and technology policy.

As the invitation sent to each remaining presidential candidate notes, “The debate may include such policy issues as: American economic competitiveness and support for scientific research; policy approaches to climate change; clean energy; the healthcare crisis; science education and technology in schools; scientific integrity; GM agriculture; transportation infrastructure; immigration; the genome; data privacy; intellectual property; pandemic diseases; the health of the oceans; water resources; stem cells; conservation and species loss; population; the space program, and others.”

The organizers say that science and technology is at the heart of America's economic engine, and that energetic support of research will be a big part of maintaining a sustainable economy into the future. They also note that big scientific guns such as the AAAS, The National Academy of Sciences, The National Academy of Engineering, and The Institute of Medicine support the debate.

The only problem is, would anybody care? Unfortunately, the latest polls suggest that public concern about science policy is notable only in its absence. As much as we'd like to see McCain, Clinton and Obama slug it out over funding, it's not likely to take off – but regardless of the outcome of this particular event, these issues need to work their way to the forefront of the debate before November.