Scientific American has entered the political arena by endorsing Kamala Harris for the presidency. This is only the second time the esteemed science publication has made a presidential endorsement in its 179-year history, following its support for President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
The editorial, titled "Vote for Kamala Harris to Support Science, Health and the Environment," outlines the reasons for this historic decision.
"The U.S. faces two futures," the editors wrote. They describe Harris as offering a path rooted in science and evidence-based policymaking while portraying her opponent, former President Donald Trump, as a threat to public health and safety whose approach rejects facts in favor of "nonsensical conspiracy fantasies."
The magazine, boasting a global readership of 6 million, endorsed Harris based on her track record as a senator, vice president, and presidential candidate.
The editors contrast her record with what they describe as Trump's "disastrous" presidency. They delve deeply into healthcare as a critical issue, praising the Biden-Harris administration's expansion of the Affordable Care Act. They emphasize Harris' intention to expand access to healthcare further while criticizing Trump for vowing to repeal the ACA without providing a clear replacement plan.
During the recent Sept. 10 presidential debate, Trump said he had a "concept of a plan" when asked to elaborate on his healthcare strategy.
"If we can come up with a plan that's going to cost our people, our population, less money and be better healthcare than Obamacare, then I would absolutely do it," Trump said during the debate.
The endorsement editorial also pointed to the candidates' stances on reproductive rights. It criticizes Trump's claim during the debate that some states allow abortions up to the ninth month of pregnancy and permit "execution after birth."
Scientific American asserted that no state permitted such practices, underscored Harris' unwavering support for reproductive rights, and highlighed her co-sponsorship of bills to reduce maternal mortality rates during her time in the Senate.
Trump has said that he believes individual states should decide on abortion restrictions and that he does not support a national abortion ban.
On technology, the editors praised the Biden-Harris administration for the CHIPS and Science Act, a 2022 law designed to strengthen the semiconductor industry and boost research in the U.S.
They warned that a second Trump administration would undo much of this progress through implementing Project 2025, a conservative plan that the editors claimed would reverse key technology safeguards, particularly in artificial intelligence.
However, this claim has been debunked. Project 2025 is a political playbook developed by the Heritage Foundation in collaboration with several other conservative organizations, not by Trump, who has disagreed with certain aspects of the initiative. According to USA Today, many individuals involved in Project 2025 served in the Trump administration.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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