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The Canadian Government's War On Science
FuzzNugget writes "A contributor at ScienceBlogs.com has compiled and published a shockingly long list of systematic attacks on scientific research committed by the Canadian government since the conservatives came to power in 2006. This anti-scientific scourge includes muzzling scientists, shutting down research centers, industry deregulation and re-purposing the National Research Council to align with business interests instead of doing real science. It will be another two years before Canadians have the chance to go to the polls, but how much more damage will be done in the meantime?"
Funny, the current Administration sure is ignorant about a great number of important topics. The amount of "I know nothing" coming out of DC the last two weeks rivals Sgt. Schultz
Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
Not paying for every environmental or science-related pet project is "anti-science" according to this list. Unlimited funding for everything, or you hate science. Environmental groups and leftist foundations have lots of donors and extremely deep pockets. Pay for your own science if it's so important.
Intellectuals? WOW! I guess it is time to update dictionaries on the meaning of this word: INTELLECTUAL, noun: an arrogant person who refuses to engage in any activities of value to other people and instead insists that whatever he/she damn pleases to do "for a living" should be paid for by coercing everyone else into paying them (via taxation).
It's not a war on science.
Scientists are more than free to study and research anything. They just might not get the funding taken forcefully taken from everyone's pocket book to fund their research.
And yes, speaking of where data comes from...
What about the mandatory long form census. Do you wonder where that data comes from? From threats and violence against citizens. Threats of fines and jail time if they don't fill in the mandatory long form census.
If that's the case, then science is at war with freedom and I'll take the side of freedom any day of the week.
Considering scientists have become advocates of specific policies and ideologies instead of simply doing research, I'm in favor of defunding them as well.
If all scientists did was provide the data on things like the fishery or global warming, more power to them. The moment they come in support of carbon taxes or any kind of policy, they are not doing science any longer.
Isn't it strange how government scientists almost never push for any policies that might result in less government even when the data supports it.
For example, in healthcare, it has been largely shown that prevention does not reduce healthcare costs. Prevention has lots of benefits, but basically, most healthcare costs are in old age. The longer you live in old age, the greater healthcare costs. As a matter of fact, the prevention probably increases healthcare costs as people live longer in old age.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2008/02/05/unhealthy-study.html
But when was the last time these 'scientists' took on politicians who make claims about using prevention to reduce healthcare costs. From Obama to Dalton McGuinty to Mayor Bloomberg and a million others all trump up the benefits of prevention. Where are these brave scientists and advocates of truth and reason?
Why don't they speak up? Why aren't they researching the total cost of policies?
Scientists being on the government payroll and being involved in politics has ruined any notion of objective science. Sure, science is still valid in depoliticized fields... but in anything where policy is concerned, scientists have not shown themselves to be concerned with science and truth as much as ideology and policy.
Cut their funding I say in any field where policy is concerned.