Without strong public interest, Legislature could hold upper hand on project’s location
MONTGOMERY – If Alabama’s rumored tight finances let Gov. Bob Riley move forward with his dream robotics campus in 2008, an economist says a campus closest to Huntsville makes financial sense.
But political experts say you can’t leave the Legislature out of the equation if the project needs state funding. Decisions about the future of the robotics campus could lie with politics for that reason.
Calhoun Community College and Wallace State Community College in Hanceville are contenders for the first phase of the robotics project. Riley had promised site selection by December, but his press spokesman, Jeff Emerson, said the governor will make no decision until after Jan. 1.
Phase one includes student-training facilities to prepare people for high-paying jobs working with and maintaining robots in industry. Later phases would include robotics research and demonstration areas where industries could show their robotic toys to potential customers.
With both colleges vying for the robotic plum, the experts say the final decision may hinge on one of several factors. Those factors include public opinion, proximity to high-tech research facilities in Huntsville, the governor’s plans after he leaves office in 2010 and who holds the political upper hand.
Unless there is strong public opinion, the decisions about new projects often hinge on political wheeling and dealing, especially in the Legislature.
Widespread public opinion is not a factor on the issue of a robotics campus, the experts believe.
“For the average Bubba and Bubbette at the barbecue, a new robotics campus is low on the priority list”, said Athens State University political science professor Jess Brown. “It is more an issue for the chamber of commerce or college presidents.”
Industry leaders who pledged support for the robotics campus concept in September may have influence, however, particularly if they align with a university that wants in on the action.
The governor’s plans for a North Alabama robotics campus evolved over months. Now he says it may be appropriate for a research university to be involved in research aspects of the robotics venture.
From an economic standpoint, a college closer to Huntsville seems like the best choice, said economic analyst Ahman Ijaz at the University of Alabama’s Center for Business and Economic Research.
“It makes more sense to be near Huntsville,” Ijaz said. “But sometimes what makes sense economically is not what happens politically.”
Industry influence
Political expert Brown said the opinion of industry aligned with a university could trump the Legislature.
If the stakeholders, those individuals and groups with the most to gain or lose, are not aligned, Brown said, the power lies with the Legislature, particularly the Senate.
Even if there are strong opinions among legislators, Brown said, the robotics campus is not a ‘gut-wrenching lifestyle issue’ that makes or breaks a politician.
If Brown is right, the Legislature may hold the keys to other things that Riley and two-year college Chancellor Bradley Byrne want.
“A lot of this depends on whether Riley wants to get along with the Legislature”, Auburn University at Montgomery political science professor Brad Moody said.
Another factor may be whether Riley has plans to run for another office after his final term as governor ends in two years.
If the biggest priority is getting bills passed, Moody said, the governor might need to negotiate with key lawmakers who have opinions about robotics.
Key players
In such a climate, Moody sees key players as Sens. Zeb Little, D-Cullman; Roger Bedford, D-Russellville; and Hinton Mitchem, D-Union Grove. Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom Jr., D-Cullman, may be a factor as well.
Sens. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, and Tom Butler, D-Madison, are players who often vote with the governor but hold different positions from the others in the Senate power structure.
If Riley’s future plans include another political office, then Moody said the opinion of voters might come more into play.
“There are a lot more votes in Morgan and Madison counties”, Moody said. “If he wants to run for something again, they may be a factor.”
Back in Riley’s office, Emerson said he does not believe the governor will run for another office.
“He wants to go home”, Emerson said.
By M.J. Ellington
decaturdaily.com
| Title | : | Politics and Robotics Choices |
| Category | : | Robotics Articles, Robotics News. |
| Tags | : | robotics, Robotics News, robots, us robotics, |
The word robotics was derived from the word robot, which was introduced to the public by Czech writer Karel Čapek in his play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), which premiered in 1921.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word robotics was first used in print by Isaac Asimov, in his science fiction short story "Liar!", published in May 1941 in Astounding Science Fiction. Asimov was unaware that he was coining the term; since the science and technology of electrical devices is electronics, he assumed robotics already referred to the science and technology of robots. In some of Asimov's other works, he states that the first use of the word robotics was in his short story Runaround (Astounding Science Fiction, March 1942). However, the word robotics appears in "Liar!"