The war on science continues


Mclandis's avatar
Is there really any doubt remaining that the GOP is mounting a war against science?

io9.com/the-gop-intensifies-it…

Apparently, Rep. Smith thinks that having congress review NSF grants is a good idea, despite congress' abysmal understanding of science and technology. And, instead of actually speaking to the PIs in charge of these projects in order to figure out why they study what they do, he repeatedly denounces one the nation's lead science organizations for being a taxpayer-funded organization. How this guy ever got elected, let alone put in charge of the House Science Committee, is baffling.

This is why we can't have nice things, and why we're slowly losing what little competitive science edge we have left.
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DefineDeviancyDown's avatar
Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their country.
rellik1138's avatar
I am no patriot.

Who said anything about patriotism?


VIVE LA REVOLUTION!
DefineDeviancyDown's avatar
Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel
rellik1138's avatar
Patriotism is the last refuge of a fool.


Scoundrels is awesome.
DefineDeviancyDown's avatar
Well............................. Yeah!
applied-mathematics's avatar
A little bit of searching turned up this, on something that would seem to be the homepage of the Parliament of the European Union. Quoting the resolution posted on the page.

"T. whereas, despite the existing conventions, military research is ongoing on environmental manipulation as a weapon, as demonstrated for example by the Alaska-based HAARP system,"

Yay. The EU Parliament endorsing one of the most notorious bits of pseudo- (and anti-scientific conspiracy) theorizing around. So, it's not just the US. The West, in general, really does seem to be going off the deep end.
gvcci-hvcci's avatar
DefineDeviancyDown's avatar
BALANY DOES NOT SUCK
gvcci-hvcci's avatar
Foiled by the #twuph again :saddummy:
DefineDeviancyDown's avatar
BALANY triumphs over all!
applied-mathematics's avatar
"Is there really any doubt remaining that the GOP is mounting a war against science?"

None, and I'm not surprised. Anti-intellectualism is not a recent development in the US. Ever hear of the Indiana PI bill? Political parties know that there are far more yahoos in America than there are scientists, and each man gets one vote, so willful idiocy like this can be smart politics (in the short run). The good news (for a scientist) is that the world is bigger than the US, and even bigger than the West. Asia is coming up in the world. If the Americans and Europeans feel like acting like fools, maybe the time has come for the scientific (and engineering) communities to relocate to a part of the world in which knowledge is still valued.

Yes, the GOP is mounting a war against science, but do you really think that the democrats wouldn't do the same? Or worse? We are talking about the party of the Postmodernism-loving Left and let's face it - people in Washington didn't create the underlying problem, they just milked it for their own personal gain. Both parties are products of the same messed up culture. Fixing that culture is something that nobody in the scientific community, no matter how distinguished his career has been, can hope to do, and certainly that would be well beyond anything that you or I could do.
Ragerancher's avatar
Wow... Seriously HOW can people be this fucking stupid? More to the point how can they be that fucking stupid and get elected into positions of power!?
applied-mathematics's avatar
Frightening, isn't it?
Ragerancher's avatar
It really is, I never cease to be amazed by the idiocy of some people...
Ragerancher's avatar
www.salon.com/2014/11/19/house…

Lastest news, Republicans try to block scientists from playing any part in EPA advisory roles on their own research whilst making room for people overtly funded by industry groups to talk instead.
Mclandis's avatar
Ahh yes, no war on science here at all. Honest!

It's like they're not even pretending anymore that they're the party of the wealthy and crony capitalism.
Mclandis's avatar
And just in case anyone was hearing rumors about millions of dollars being spent to run shrimp on treadmills, here's the actual story: chronicle.com/blogs/conversati…

Long story short, the conservative media made crap up, as usual. Only problem is people in congress actually believed this nonsense. Still believe there is no war on science?
Diacraft's avatar
It just blows my mind how some people just sit here and make threads about Republicans all day on deviantart.

C'mon son.
Mclandis's avatar
Maybe the GOP shouldn't appoint a science denier to a post that controls funding to the nation's science apparatus, then.
madnessmountains's avatar
Fuck you science die
JamieAgathaRose's avatar
Rep. Smith is speaking about govt. waste and $300,000 to watch people ride bicycles would be a hard sell to anyone but a corrupt politician looking to spread the pork around.

Overtaxation and wasteful spending like that is the real reason America has lost so many of the "edges" we used to possess.
Mclandis's avatar
Rep. Smith is speaking about govt. waste

Then he should be auditing the DoD. There's far greater magnitudes of fraud, waste, and abuse there.

$300,000 to watch people ride bicycles would be a hard sell to anyone

I can already tell you didn't read the abstract or the link I provided (which explains the "bicycle study"). Then again, this seems to be a common thread among fiscal chickenhawks.

Overtaxation and wasteful spending like that is the real reason America has lost so many of the "edges" we used to possess.

:lol:

Only if you ignore the fact that tax rates are at historically low levels and the fact that anti-science types like Rep. Smith control the House Science Committee.