ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the intersection between science and politics in contemporary American governing. It examines the key issues that are at the core of the public disputes involving science policy and scientific discovery. The chapter discusses the changes in the relationship between science and government from the George W. Bush administration to the Barack Obama administration and the prospect for change in the Trump administration. The United States is a country of both extraordinary scientific and medical achievements and strong beliefs about the role of God in the creation and evolution of humankind. Yet it is clear that science and politics are connected, particularly as science influences a wide range of public policy issues such as global warming, stem cell research, and evolution. Moreover, much of scientific research in the United States is supported through government appropriations. Many in the scientific community would prefer the political fray, but their work often leads to debate, differences, and divisions.
