ABSTRACT
The desirability of establishing a federal Cabinet-level office to accommodate the importance science and technology has attained in national and international affairs has been debated continuously for some years. The main key to a successful system as described just above is the Science Advisor. That person must be knowledgeable, credible in the technology community, decisive, tough-minded, even-handed, and not easily bruised. In addition, the politics must not only be anathema to the Advisor but must be recognized as the balancing factor that keeps people in the straits of democracy. The enterprise may work adequately without such a paragon, but it will work better to the degree the Advisor has these characteristics. The Science Advisor should chair both the advisory council and the coordinating council. In this way the Advisor is a full-fledged participating equal, rather than a staff officer.
