Obama: USA staat voor Sputnik-moment

Nieuws | de redactie

26 januari 2011 | "In the 21st century the best anti-poverty program is a world-class education." De tekorten moeten omlaag, zodat Amerika kan investeren in kennis en energieinnovatie die nodig is voor een wereldnatie. Dit is opnieuw een 'Sputnik-moment': een indringend besef van wat op het spel staat. Obama's State of the Union leek bijna meer een 'state of the kenniseconomie.'

De Pisa-schok, de snelle opkomst van nieuwe kennisnaties, hetsucces van toptech-landen als Duitsland en de energietransitie die’Nobel-minister’ Steven Chu in gang zet, al deze trendsmaken dat de USA pro-actief moet zijn, of weg gaat zakken.President Obama pleitte in zijn troonrede voor een nieuw elan in onderwijs enonderzoek beleid, dat even hard moet wakker schudden als toen in1957 de Russische Spoetnik satelliet duidelijk maakte dat de USAachterop raakte in de ruimtetechnologie. “This is our generation’sSputnik moment.”

Energiebeleid sleutel tot herstel en wereldpositieUSA

Obama zei onder meer:  “China is not waiting to revamp itseconomy.  Germany is not waiting.  India is notwaiting.  These nations — they’re not standing still. These nations aren’t playing for second place.  They’reputting more emphasis on math and science.  They’re rebuildingtheir infrastructure.  They’re making serious investments inclean energy because they want those jobs.  

Last year, we made the largest investment in basic research fundingin history an investment that could lead to the world’s cheapestsolar cells or treatment that kills cancer cells but leaves healthyones untouched.  And no area is more ripe for such innovationthan energy.  

But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need moreproduction, more efficiency, more incentives.  And that meansbuilding a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants inthis country.  It means making tough decisions aboutopening new offshore areas for oil and gas development. It meanscontinued investment in advanced biofuels and clean coaltechnologies. And, yes, it means passing a comprehensiveenergy and climate bill with incentives that will finally makeclean energy the profitable kind of energy in America.

I know that there are those who disagree with the overwhelmingscientific evidence on climate change.  But here’s the thing– even if you doubt the evidence, providing incentives forenergy-efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do forour future — because the nation that leads the clean energyeconomy will be the nation that leads the global economy.  AndAmerica must be that nation.”

Investeren in onderwijs en skills

De investeringen in kennis en onderwijs kunnen alleen forsen snel gevonden worden, als de USA de tekorten en staatsschuld inhoog tempo omlaag brengen. Obama gaf in feite aan, dat dehardnekkige werkloosheid in de fase na de kredietcrisis haaroorzaak heeft in het achterblijven van het opleidingsniveau van debevolking en de verouderde structuur van de productie- endienstverlening. In dat verband kondigde hij tevens eengrootscheepse herinrichting van de federale overheid aan.

Over het onderwijsbeleid en SF zei hij onder meer: “We need toinvest in the skills and education of our people. Now, this year,we’ve broken through the stalemate between left and right bylaunching a national competition to improve our schools.

And the idea here is simple:  Instead of rewarding failure, weonly reward success. Instead of funding the status quo, weonly invest in reform — reform that raises student achievement;inspires students to excel in math and science; and turns aroundfailing schools that steal the future of too many young Americans,from rural communities to the inner city. 

In the 21st century, the best anti-poverty program around is aworld-class education. And in this country, the success of ourchildren cannot depend more on where they live than on theirpotential. When we renew the Elementary and SecondaryEducation Act, we will work with Congress to expand these reformsto all 50 states. 

Still, in this economy, a high school diploma no longer guaranteesa good job.  That’s why I urge the Senate to follow the Houseand pass a bill that will revitalize our community colleges, whichare a career pathway to the children of so many workingfamilies. 

To make college more affordable, this bill will finally end theunwarranted taxpayer subsidies that go to banks for student loans.Instead, let’s take that money and give families a $10,000 taxcredit for four years of college and increase Pell Grants. Andlet’s tell another one million students that when they graduate,they will be required to pay only 10 percent of their income onstudent loans, and all of their debt will be forgiven after 20years — and forgiven after 10 years if they choose a career inpublic service, because in the United States of America, no oneshould go broke because they chose to go to college.

And by the way, it’s time for colleges and universities to getserious about cutting their own costs because they, too, havea responsibility to help solve this problem.”