Scientists Decry Political Interference

RamblingMan writes "According to the BBC, the American Union of Concerned Scientists has put out a statement about the misrepresentation of date and a list of such interference by the U.S. government in scientific research. Besides the usual slew of Nobel Laureate signatories, they provide a number of examples besides the well-known example of the EPA's Global Warming Report." From the BBC article: "'It's very difficult to make good public policy without good science, and it's even harder to make good public policy with bad science,' said Dr Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment and Security. 'In the last several years, we've seen an increase in both the misuse of science and I would say an increase of bad science in a number of very important issues; for example, in global climate change, international peace and security, and water resources.'"

Comments

Double standard...

[Anonymous Coward]

Politicians are allowed to interfere in Military decisions, and in Financial ones, and of course, Health and Medical, etc. Why do these scientists think they are above the regulator arm of BIG GOVERNMENT.

If they get an exception, I want one too...

Weekly Bush prayer group

[Anonymous Coward]

Bush: Dear God, please give us wisdom to fight against those liberals who wish to hinder your plan to let use control all the oil. Let us fight their lies about global warming, lest we loose our right and duty to drive H2's to church.

tell your statistics to shut up

[Connie_Lingus]

I can't help but remember that line from Charlie Brown when I read this sort of thing. In general, scientist have a pretty poor record of making accurate predictions about things, in the long run. How many thousands of "scientists" for untold centuries were more than happy to tell their rulers that, yes of course the earth is the center of the universe and everything revolves around it? And more recently, what happened to all those hurricanes that were supposed to hit? Lorenz back in 50's proved that the non-linearity of weather patterns made it mathematically impossible to make any realistic predictions of future event, yet new trends in atmospheric science seem to have no problem predicting weather 50 to 100 years from now.

It seems a relatively new phenomenon these days, where scientist think they have some sort of carte blanche to purpose something, and expect the world to spin around on a dime and provide huge federal grants to modify everyone's behavior. If you ask me it is more than a little disingenious.

Sometimes a think that *some* scientist are trying to replace the priesthood of yesteryear as our all-knowing overlords. They use many of the same techniques, based on fear, to convince the happily ignorant populace that REPENT AND CHANGE YOUR WAYS OR CERTAIN DOOM IS AT HAND!

The Church for 1500 years used the fear of an everlasting tortuous afterlife to keep people under control, and I personally see many similarities with the current wave of supposed "scares" that science churns out these days.

Re:tell your statistics to shut up

[geekoid]

"How many thousands of "scientists" for untold centuries were more than happy to tell their rulers that, yes of course the earth is the center of the universe and everything revolves around it?"

I don't think any scientist ever actually said that, I believe it was church dogma.
Something science found to be incorrect, BTW.

All lorenze proved was that there were to many variables to predict weather.

You want to know what happened to the hurricanes? an increase in wind sheer caused by global climate change.

Thats the great thing about science, any one can look at the data.
Sadly, people who set up science review board will pick fringe scientists to push there agenda.

Re:what do you expect...

[Mr. Firewall]

FTA: Campaigners say that in recent years the White House has been able to censor the work of agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration because a Republican congress has been loath to stand up for scientific integrity.

Funny how they never complained when the White House was doing far worse stuff than this under Al Gore...

Re:what do you expect...

[twiddlingbits]

Two words can refute all you just said about science being less prone to intellectal whoredom.

Cold Fusion
or
Global Warming

Pick one and explain HOW neither one is/was subject to intellectal whoredom either for or against the premise. When scientists whore they whore big.

Re:what do you expect...

[Mr. Firewall]

The allegations concern "then-Senator (later vice president) Al Gore". Which means the allegations were made about activities that happened when Bush was President.

Gore's political suppression of science certainly started while he was still a Senator, but it certainly didn't end when he became part of the White House.

In fact, it intensified. To save time & space, I only quoted one egregious example. But it was well-known in the climate science community during that time that atmospheric research that didn't agree with "the views of the Vice President" (as it was delicately worded) wasn't going to get funded.

But somehow, the UCS has never raised any quibbles about that.

Oh, and by the way, I'm not a conservative. And by the way number two, that's an ad hominem distraction intended to derail the discussion. Nice try, Sparky.