Biomedical research:
He's primarily interested in making up for the time that was lost in the Bush years. NIH during much of that time did not even get a budget increase equal to inflation...in fact, there was NO increase for the majority of the years. This made it extraordinarily difficult to get grants. Ideally, about 15% of grants submitted to NIH should be funded in my opinion...it keeps out the riffraff. However, recent years have had that number as low as 7-9%! That leaves an awfully large number of labs with basically no funds. Arlen headed up the charge to fix this and the stimulus has included a $10 billion dollar booster shot for updating equipment and such in labs who apply and are chosen. Our lab is involved in a $1.8 million dollar grant application for this money to get a killer microscope for the institution, so naturally I'm excited and grateful. Obama has said he wishes to devote 3% of the GDP (about %450 billion) to R&D nationally each year if he can and much of that new money will to to biomedical research. Specter had a lot to do with that. He spent much of his speech asking for us to give him advice, essentially, about what really needs to be done.

On healthcare, he was far more wishy-washy. He generally just said a lot about encouraging nutrition, exercise, and perhaps insurance incentives for healthy behavior. He gave the usual soundbytes about the uninsured millions and how he "wants" to get them insured, but no details whatsoever. Nothing new to see here.

On his party-swap, he was candid and open. He was upset that his vote in support for the stimulus had a profoundly negative effect on his approval rating...60% to 31% in the republican party... He said that basically sealed it for him. If one vote was going to hurt him that badly after 30 years as a senator, than something is rotten in Denmark. He mentioned that as the republicans moved right and right of the chart, he felt alienated and the dems took him under their wing. He did openly admit that he did it largely to get re-elected. "Of course I want to remain a Senator. You'd like to keep your jobs wouldn't you?" ::audience laughter::

Overall, it was as anyone would expect. No real details or plans, much political mush, lots of flashy words, lots of diplomatic and attractive politicking, a good bit of humor and well delivered I might add, but overall nothing new. Most of the questions from the crowd were healthcare related except for one brave soul (I say brave because he gave a pointed political questions in a room full of very liberal democrat academics and medical doctors) who accused him of being self-serving in his decision to flip sides. The man felt abandoned and I can see how republicans who voted for him would feel that way.

One question that didn't arise was the only thing that bothers me about his decision. The functioning of this government is VERY dependent on debate and checks and balances. If one party controls the house, the senate, the presidency, the judiciary, and no filibuster is available, the opposing party might as well stay home. The majority party members become the unchallengeable rulers of the country. It turns the nation into a two class system where the party in charge is aristocracy and the minority party has no vote. A block-vote IS law. If you have no problem with this, imagine if the republicans had such power... you'd be marching in the streets.