Reinvigorating the Role of Science in Democracy

ABSTRACT

Good policy decisions require reasonable and robust debate grounded in the best possible information. And yet, it is no secret that political discourse around the world, with the United States as a prime example, has become increasingly, and even bitterly, partisan. Many governments with parliamentary systems are formed by fragile coalitions, and political discourse is heated. In the United States, spending on lobbying and campaigns is at an all-time high, giving special interests immense access to lawmakers. The public approval rating of the U.S. Congress stands at an all-time low, but disapproval of government is by no means confined to the American electorate.

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