Government Trends

Abstract

The title for this talk came about during a rather casual conversation with Professor Fréchette nearly a year ago. Van knew that I had just ended a “tour of duty” in the officialdom of Washington, and since he also knew that my tour involved science policy of a sort, he inquired politely if my experiences would perhaps be of interest to this morning’s general session. Being still flushed with Potomac fever and other symptoms of Washington positive thinking, I replied that not only could I give the conference an inside look at the Washington scene, but that I would be pleased to do so. This reply gave Van little choice but to graciously accept and hope for the best. We then turned our attention to a title suitable for the weighty pronouncements to come. “Government Trends” seemed sufficiently euphemistic and broad in scope, and so the deed was done.