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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRepublicans want to be able to dictate what federally funded scientists can research
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/04/29/1205639/-Republicans-want-to-dictate-what-federally-funded-scientists-can-research#Mon Apr 29, 2013 at 11:00 AM PDT
Republicans want to be able to dictate what federally funded scientists can research
by Laurence Lewis
Republicans finally are doing something about the increasing conflict between science and their own political ideologies and beliefs. They're trying to stop such science from happening. As explained by Jeffrey Mervis of Science Magazine:
The legislation, being worked up by Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX), represents the latestand bluntestattack on NSF by congressional Republicans seeking to halt what they believe is frivolous and wasteful research being funded in the social sciences. Last month, Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) successfully attached language to a 2013 spending bill that prohibits NSF from funding any political science research for the rest of the fiscal year unless its director certifies that it pertains to economic development or national security. Smith's draft bill, called the "High Quality Research Act," would apply similar language to NSF's entire research portfolio across all the disciplines that it supports.
Of course, the Republicans claim it's about cutting waste and duplicative research, and ensuring that the funded science has value. Because it's not scientists who would know what scientific research has value, it's Congress. Which is an interesting position for Republicans to take, given their supposed antipathy to government. Or maybe that antipathy is limited to government regulating the Republicans' corporate owners. But here's one clear area where Congressional Republicans might consider scientific research of little value:
Researchers funded by NSF have discovered signs of a changing climate in nearly every corner of the globe, from the icy expanses of Earth's polar regions to its equatorial ecosystems. Our planet's climate affects--and is affected by--the sky, land, ice, sea, life and the people found on it. To piece together the entire puzzle of climate change--what we know, what we still have to learn and what humankind can do to prepare for the future--we must study all of the physical, natural and human systems that contribute to and interact with Earth's climate system.
As researchers piece together the climate puzzle, they are revolutionizing the way we understand the Earth system as a whole. Researchers have realized that they must reach across disciplinary boundaries to study questions that extend beyond any one field of science or engineering. In fact, because of the complexity of Earth's climate, this research involves contributions from nearly every field of science, math and engineering.
The science proving human-caused climate change is overwhelming. Republicans overwhelming ignore and deny what the science proves. So, with scientific reality so consistently demonstrating a liberal bias, the Republicans are trying to legislate that science away.
alfredo
(60,071 posts)Blue Owl
(50,259 posts)to take their basket of faith-based hokum and GO FUCK THEMSELVES.
n2doc
(47,953 posts)Science in this country will become a mix of feel-good educational initiatives that lead nowhere, and instrument facility funding in areas where lobbyists have power. Plus funding industry research in the name of 'innovation' so that they don't have to do it themselves.
spinbaby
(15,088 posts)Republicans can fund research into important issues such as:
How early man coexisted with dinosaurs.
Why climate change isn't happening and isn't in any way the fault of oil companies.
How birth control murders preconceived babies.
Why a woman's place is in the home.
How Walmart improves the quality of life for all Americans except unpatriotic liberals.
Why using healthcare is selfish.
How GMO crops are feeding the world.
Why potential Islamic terrorists must be turned to Christ.
How many angels can dance on the head of a pin.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)...You know you're a redneck!
SpearthrowerOwl
(71 posts)In this world, if [big] corporations that own the government aren't willing to fund it, we're not even able to obtain our own facts ._. I thought 1984 was only something we had to read about.. The scientists should be the ones to decide what is or isn't reasonable science. When choices like research directions are centralized we lose democracy. Only democracy can maintain a free society.
spanone
(135,791 posts)nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)I guess the Russians did win the Cold War
blackspade
(10,056 posts)to privatize public research eliminating corporations from public oversite.