Thursday, July 12, 2007 | Reason : Political | print version

The Republican War on Science Rages On

by CNN

Reposted from:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/07/12/the-republican-war-on-science-rages-on/

Click here to play video

Former Surgeon General Richard Carmona's testimony has once again highlighted the extent to which the Bush administration suppresses and manipulates science to fit their narrow ideological view. Whether it's stem cell research, global warming, the Plan B contraceptive, or abstinence-only education, they consistently put appeasing their extremist, fringe base over the interests of the country at large. CNN's Christine Romans details the many battles in Bush's War on Science.

TONY SNOW: But nobody, as far as I could tell, was, "muzzling" him. But on the other hand, there is certainly nothing scandalous about saying to somebody who was a presidential appointee, you should advocate the President's policies.

That about says it all: If appointed by the Bush administration, you are required to advocate their policies, even if that means suppressing and distorting facts at the expense of the well-being of those you are in office to serve.

The American Prospect's Chris Mooney has written the definitive book on the GOP's War on Science. You can see his keynote address to Planned Parenthood here.

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1. Comment #55892 by Machinus on July 12, 2007 at 7:12 pm

You're a bit late on this one CNN...where were you when they were exploiting the country the last five years?

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2. Comment #55894 by troyreynolds86 on July 12, 2007 at 7:22 pm

What is the point in appointing someone to serve as an expert in a field of which the President is not if that person is just suppose to repeat the president's opinion. That's Tony Snow's job. Who honestly cares if past presidents have done this the same way, it is the wrong way to do it so change it now and improve the situation or fire all of the appointees and save me my tax money. Also, CNN, don't sugar coat the issue. It is not just ideologies, it is religion. Call a spade a spade.

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3. Comment #55910 by geckoman on July 12, 2007 at 8:22 pm

Watched this story on another news channel and thought it pretty interesting.

I understood that the last three Surgeons General all said that they were unable to properly do their jobs due to political interference. One said that he was ordered to mention Bush's name 3 times on any page of a speech or published document.

What is interesting is that people associated with the Bush administration who have been biting their lips for years are finally raising their heads above the parapet and beginning to lay bare the abuses committed in the administration's name. Hardly shocking news to anyone with an IQ above 80, but a start at least and a suggestion that GWB is largely a lame duck President.

Not, of course, that this will influence Bush and his immediate disciples anyway, but perhaps the House will increasingly vote against proposals that include the religiously inspired madness that has characterised many policies to date.

That said, hard facts, truth, evidence and rationality don't figure too much in American politics, so I won't be holding my breath.

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4. Comment #55911 by Fouad Boussetta on July 12, 2007 at 8:22 pm

Objectively speaking, Bush is a fucking asshole.

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5. Comment #55913 by geckoman on July 12, 2007 at 8:25 pm

Thanks for that Fouad.

You succeeded in saying in five words what took me two hundred!

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6. Comment #55914 by Fouad Boussetta on July 12, 2007 at 8:38 pm

My pleasure, geckoman. :)

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7. Comment #55928 by sc on July 13, 2007 at 12:31 am

Socio-liberal propaganda.

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8. Comment #55931 by Theocrapcy on July 13, 2007 at 12:50 am

"Socio-liberal" is a word?

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9. Comment #55937 by IceFreak2000 on July 13, 2007 at 1:18 am

"Socio-liberal" is an insult?

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10. Comment #55980 by stephenray on July 13, 2007 at 4:57 am

OK, I've had enough!

Will one of you 'Nobody uses the web 'cept us' bloody Americans explain what GOP stands for?

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11. Comment #55982 by nancy2001 on July 13, 2007 at 5:04 am

Grand Old Party. It may be old, but it's certainly not grand.

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12. Comment #55983 by Davin06 on July 13, 2007 at 5:04 am

GOP refers to the Republican party, it stands for 'Grand Old Party', though I could be wrong, I'm a Brit.

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13. Comment #55985 by blueollie on July 13, 2007 at 5:09 am

G. O. P. "Grand Old Party", which is the Republican Party (the one that Bush belongs to). These days, it includes large corporate interests, conservative religious types, and some populist cultural conservatives.

There was a time where many of the populists were Democrats, but that changed when many of the liberal Democrats backed civil rights legislation (1960's).

In my cirlces, "GOP" stands for "Greed Over Patriotism" ;-)

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14. Comment #55989 by jshuey on July 13, 2007 at 5:30 am

Living in Texas as I do, I've come to believe it (GOP) stands for "God's Only Party".

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15. Comment #55990 by _J_ on July 13, 2007 at 5:45 am

blueollie, 12

In my cirlces, "GOP" stands for "Greed Over Patriotism" ;-)

...which is pretty bad, given that patriotism must be just about the most overrated 'virtue' there is.

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16. Comment #55992 by Philip1978 on July 13, 2007 at 5:54 am

J get back to that play writing you naughty naughty boy! ( You did ask us to remind you heheheh!)

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17. Comment #55993 by gsrns on July 13, 2007 at 6:05 am

'Patriotism is the virute of the vicous' - Oscar Wilde

'Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel' - Dr S. Johnson

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18. Comment #55995 by USA_Limey on July 13, 2007 at 6:19 am

1378. Comment #55891 by _J_ on July 12, 2007 at 7:09 pm wrote:

"If anyone sees me on here again, please tell me to piss off and get back to work."

.... _J_, piss off and get back to work. Just following orders sir!

:-)

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19. Comment #55997 by _J_ on July 13, 2007 at 6:27 am

Philip1978 and USA_Limey

:D Cheers, guys - excellent work! Needed my shot of methadone, there.

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20. Comment #56004 by robert s on July 13, 2007 at 7:20 am

So is the GOP meeting its milestones on crushing science, or is it turning into another quagmire?

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21. Comment #56005 by automath on July 13, 2007 at 7:44 am

Suppressed for political reasons and ideology?

Might just as well have said: suppressed for religious reasons.

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22. Comment #56007 by bluebird on July 13, 2007 at 7:48 am

Planned Parenthood needs to be left alone to do it's job properly!!
Girls in our H.S. say "wish we had had better sex education in the school";
A group of girls in Texas made their own sex education video to counter Catholic teachings.
This is one area where supply doesn't come close to meeting the demand.
Hopefully the next administration will open the floodgates of reason, progess, etc.

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23. Comment #56009 by konquererz on July 13, 2007 at 8:11 am

Problem is that what is being done is causing irreparable harm in this country. Abstinence only education doesn't work, its been proven in study after study. It facilitates ignorance and thus contributes to more pregnancy and more spread of disease that teaching real sex education, and the statistics back that up 100%.

Global warming has mountains of evidence, yet nearly 65% of Americans don't believe that its even happening at all. Then, take the 35% remaining and most of them don't believe its human related or effected in any way. All the anti-global warming propaganda is ludicrous but it works because people aren't smart enough to read for themselves or see through the lies.

For the Bush administration, Science is a faith, its a faith they don't hold. Empirical evidence is merely a belief system. This type of ridiculous ideology is killing our minds in this country. He his a religious nut bag and he lets it govern him and this country!

Message to Bush:

GOD DOESN'T EXIST ANY MORE THAN YOU INTELLECT! AND LIKE YOUR INTELLECT, HE IS JUST A FIGMENT OF YOUR IMAGINATION, A MADE UP FAIRY TALE! YOU IDIOT!

Other Comments by konquererz

24. Comment #56014 by USA_Limey on July 13, 2007 at 9:12 am

There are plenty of other sites for Bush Bashing; I hope with the US election approaching this oasis of sanity does not become to political.

After all, remember herding atheists is like herding cats. We generally march to our own tune and that means politically too.

It would be horrible if this site became partisan either way the closer we get to '08

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25. Comment #56022 by PeterK on July 13, 2007 at 10:43 am

This anti-science, anti-knowledge, mentality from the right is precisely why I have bared my atheist teeth once again in the past year. And sharpen them I will.

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26. Comment #56025 by ghostbuster on July 13, 2007 at 11:19 am

One has to remember that the neo-conservative philosophy follows that of Leo Strauss. Check out Straussian principles and his origins--ought to frighten you.
Anti-intellectualism is the province of totalitarianism--always has been--even under the guise of "intellectualism".

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27. Comment #56068 by Broshiesq on July 13, 2007 at 3:14 pm

All those who believe that religious lunacy and the stupid decisions that follow from it is strictly within the domain of the political right, please, spare me. The politicians that remain the most steadfastly true to their religious beliefs are the ones that I probably disagree with the most regarding those particularly religion-infused issues, but at least they don't piss me off for being hypocrites. But when Hillary Clinton says it was her faith that saved her marriage, pandering to the religious, I have to about vomit. She is pro abortion and pro same-sex unions. Those are against the teachings of her faith. She is a hypocrite. Certainly I think a religious wingnut politician, while being true to his faith, is more dangerous to me and the society in which I live, but sorry, I have more respect for that than for a total hypocrite.

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28. Comment #56089 by bluebird on July 13, 2007 at 5:03 pm

Larry Flynt has been having a field day recently.

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29. Comment #57317 by Tumara Baap on July 18, 2007 at 10:31 pm

As usual for CNN, a rather superficial report. As documented by Chris Mooney and Seth Shulman, just about every government agency has been affected. NOAA, FDA, CDC, EPA, FWS, NIH. You name it! Mainstream media has been largely silent about it. Republicans have found it easier to undermine laws rather than overhaul them by appointing religious zealots and ideologues to mid-level positions where they remain "under the radar".
The pattern is jarring. It's beyond Brownie. It's beyond Cooney. It's beyond the pale.
P.S. Beg to differ with USA_Limey on dragging politics here. Whereas conservatism in Britain may run along the lines of advocating market-based solutions to global warming, in the U.S. it runs along the lines of undermining science and destroying institutions that employ reason. The truth is that Republicans are ideologically wedded to anti-intellectualism and a general poverty of thought. It's a plain fact.

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