Political Interferrence in US Science
I have been preparing my next podcast for Searching the Internet on government sources of information and have been debating how to deal with the politicization of science in recent years. It use to be that politicians used science to help direct public policy and make decisions that affect the country. Now however, it seems the policy is decided and the scientist are being coerced or forced into making their results fit the policy. This means that a released report from a US government science based source is always suspect especially in areas of controversial issues such as sex education and condom use, stem cell research, global warming, and evolution.
This article from mid-Dec from the BBC News gives some idea of the extent of the problem.
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | US scientists reject interference
The statement they report on was signed by over 10,000 scientist from a wide variety of the sciences and included 52 Noble prize winners. I am hopeful that with the last elections, their will again be some oversight and sanity brought back to the topic of using science to help Americans and the world as a whole.
I have mentioned Chris Mooney before and his book The Republican War on Science” (Chris Mooney). He also has a great blog The Intersection. I highly recommend both.
Other Resources
A to Z Guide to Political Interference in Science
Dear Kitty. Some blog :: USA: voice of science stifled in Bush administration :: December :: 2006
Dear Kitty. Some blog :: USA: Bush administration gags scientists :: December :: 2006
AlterNet: Junking Science (interview with Chris Mooney)
New Statesman - Right and wrong (review of Republican War on Science)
Spot-On: Christopher Brauchli: Closed Doors, Closed Minds, Closed Science
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January 2nd, 2007 at 10:10 pm
Ed:
The articles were well written and timely. Thanks for posting them. One of my ongoing concerns is the fact that the U. S. Government does not have an executive office that deals primarily in science.
We have executive departments for agriculture, commerce, defense, education, energy, health, homeland security, housing, justice, labor, state, interior, treasury, transportation, and veteran affairs. Science seems to be divided among the fifteen executive branches of the government. The closest the U. S. has to an Executive Department of Science is the independent agency, the National Science Foundation. Science.gov is also a gateway to authoritative selected science information provided by U.S. Government agencies including research and development.
http://www.science.gov/
Many foreign governments have a Ministry of Science specifically devoted to scientific issues. Perhaps it is time for the U. S. to establish a similar Executive Department, just to keep us honest.
Deb Liptak
February 15th, 2007 at 1:55 am
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