Will there be a huge brain drain now?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

Since Bush doesn't believe in science, will our best scientists leave to work in more enlightened countries? I expect that India and China will leave us in the dust, both scientifically and economically, within the decade. Welcome to the Third World, everybody.

[Blue Gardener]

1. Yes

And who can blame them for leaving?

[Name removed]

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[tomfodw]

2. Perhaps. But there may also not be as much of a brain inflow

Given our hostility since 9-11 to foreigners, a lot of international students have already stopped coming to the US. They don't want to deal with the hassles of getting permission to come and are studying in England and other friendlier places. That's a trend I expect to accelerate. Foreign engineers and scientists are probably going to start going to China and India in larger numbers. Maybe Brazil. Maybe Europe if the EU gets its act together.

With capital now able to flow so freely, there's a chance that a lot of investment may end up elsewhere. If the Chinese stop buying our T-Bills, we're in hugely deep trouble.

[athena]

10. It's already been happening for a few years now.

It's now very hard to organize scientific conferences in the U.S. Foreigners are also declining offers to come to the U.S. as visiting professors. Graduate students (like myself) are also deciding to look for jobs elsewhere instead of the U.S. (I'm going back to Canada as soon as I finish my degree).

[DELUSIONAL]

3. Yes -- Fascism does that to countries

[jus_the_facts]

4. Now?

.....drained brains are what brings us here today....

[HereSince1628]

5. Actually it's pretty hard to leave...

Surely the "best" may find positions elsewhere, but for most American scientists their future is in English speaking countries, and international migration to those countries quickly runs up against policies of the British Commonwealth of Nations which give commonwealth citizens priviledged access.

My guess is "they" will never get over 1776 even though they burned down our capital.

But then I believe that ALL MONARCHIES ARE EVIL, so maybe I would be a seditious element in their societies.

[Guy_Montag]

14. Actually, I work in a British university

there are a few American scientists in my department. Probably more than any other single nation.

[izzie]

6. I think China is all ready topping us in that dept.

Now with China holding so much or our debt you can see where China will go and where we will go. Have to put in India into the mix and that China gets a good deal of it's oil from Asia so does not want to trade on dollars. Guess what is going to happen?

[Dem2theMax]

7. If everyone who voted for Kerry leaves, there won't be any

brains left here at all. Boy, it would serve them right, wouldn't it?

[Meritaten1]

8. No

Because when all the votes are counted in Ohio and Wisconsin, we'll have President-elect Kerry in the White House!

[hatrack]

9. Watch for a steady decline in foreign direct investment

Corrupt government, theocratic restrictions on research and a disappearing middle class . . . why would anyone want to manufacture more than matches and toilet paper here (and why bother to do that when you can do it in China).

[tomfodw]

11. As I've said elsewhere, when young people in India start studying Chinese

you'll know it's all over for us.

[Donkeyboy75]

12. Maybe...and no.

I personally have been overseas for two months after finishing my PhD for a two year stint. But the best paying jobs still tend to be in the U.S. (for now). It will take awhile for China and India to overtake the U.S., as their science infrastructure is abysmal. This will change with improved economic fortunes and a concomitant increase in investment. If you want to worry about the U.S. losing its status as worldwide science leader, look no further than the EU. Lots of funding there, great infrastructure....and much less political interference.

[Dukakis88]

13. That's what the device on Bush's back is for: brain drain.

He actually has no head. That quivering spasmotic mass on his shoulders is a massive cyst full of pus, cocaine, sin, and alcohol. They have to drain it off constantly to prevent eruption. Security around the White House has been tightened to ward off any rogue dermatologists seeking to lance the boil.

[coreystone]

15. The people of this country have lost their respect for intellect!

This is truly a very sad for our country, the "founding fathers" lost today.

I can only shake my head in disbelief. There are no "smilies" to post.