Sat Feb 21st, 2004 at 07:16:47 AM EST
A scathing report from the Union of Concerned Scientists on the misuse of science and scientific process by the Bush Administration for political purposes has capped probably the most dismal six weeks for the presidency of George W. Bush. The report has won endorsements from many luminaries, and it provides a chilling insight into how the Truimph of The Bush Political Philosophy has put into danger the lives of the public, and that of the planet itself. In other words, President Bush and his Administration may itself be the ultimate Weapon of Mass Destruction.
The report opens with a quote that describes the vision of the current president's father, and ends with damning evidence of the son's misdeeds by the standards set by his own father. This is probably not surprising as GWB has tried to do almost everything differently from his father, the 41st and one-term President of the United States.
In its conclusion the report seeks to strongly reprimand the president himself asking him to change course dramatically and immediately, chastises the almost pliant Congress, exhorts the Scientists to speak up, and asks for help from the public.
The report begins with a quote from the 41st US President, George H.W. Bush, in 1990 that sets the vision of how science must be used by government.
- Science, like any field of endeavor, relies on freedom of inquiry;
- and one of the hallmarks of that freedom is objectivity.
- Now more than ever, on issues ranging from climate change to AIDS research to genetic engineering to food additives,
- government relies on the impartial perspective of science for guidance.
The report ends with an dismal report card on the 43rd President actions so far.
How has the Bush Administration managed to achieve this dubious distinction? The report shows this to be a 3 part opera.
Part I - Suppression and Distortion of Research Findings at Federal Agencies
Mark Twain said that "Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please." This is a 2 step process. First, get the facts. Second, distort them as much as you please. The second step of distortion has been a part of politics for ever, and the report does acknowledge that administrations do distort facts. But, "there is a crucial difference between political fights over policy and the manipulation of the scientific underpinnings of the policymaking process itself," and the distinction of the Bush Administration is that they have managed to corrupt the first step also - i.e. of first getting the facts right.One of the four findings of the investigation is that "There is significant evidence that the scope and scale of the manipulation, suppression, and misrepresentation of science by the Bush administration is unprecedented."
Another finding of the investigation is that There is strong documentation of a wideranging effort to manipulate the government's scientific advisory system to prevent the appearance of advice that might run counter to the administration's political agenda.
Part II - Undermining the Quality and Integrity of the Appointment Process
Harry Truman said that "We must have strong minds, ready to accept facts as they are." It seems that the Bush Administration is not willing to accept the facts as they are, but is choosing minds to staff federal agencies that not strong, and those who are willing to ignore the facts. Roughly 1,000 committees, panels, commissions, and councils advise the federal government on everything from how to allocate federal research dollars to what should be considered permissible levels of pesticide residue on produce."The administration has picked candidates with questionable credentials for advisory positions, used political litmus tests to vet candidates for even the least political of its government review panels, and favored the candidates put forward by industry lobbyists over those recommended by its own federal agencies. This last charge of favoring candidates put forth by industry is particularly troubling, as executives from these industries are quite often large campaign contributors."
To cap it all, the report points out that Mr. Russell, who holds the most senior White House advisory position devoted specifically to technology, has only a bachelor's degree in biology, no graduate or professional training of any kind, and no experience in a technology-related industry.
The report shows that the philosophy of putting the "wrong" people incharge of "right" science is a very wide spread phenomenon. It goes on to bluntly state that "at high levels of government, the administration's political agenda has permeated the traditionally objective, nonpartisan mechanisms through which the government uses scientific knowledge in forming and implementing public policy."
Part III - An Unprecedented Pattern of Behavior
Sherlock Holmes has been attributed with saying that, "it is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."Insensibly, it seems that the theory to which all facts are being subjected is the Theory of Mr. Bush's mind. In Professor Miller's case, "his 2002 interview for a slot on a National Institute on Drug Abuse advisory panel included questions about whether his views were congruent with those held by President Bush and whether he had voted for Bush in 2000. Presumably based on his answers, Miller was denied the appointment." "Miller, a distinguished professor of psychology and psychiatry, the pioneer of a leading substance abuse treatment, and author of more than 100 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals."
A finding of the investigation is that "there is a well-established pattern of suppression and distortion of scientific findings by high-ranking Bush administration political appointees across numerous federal agencies. These actions have consequences for human health, public safety, and community well-being."
Finally, consistent with the nature of this "secretive" Whitehouse, that is fighting a secretive war on terror, the report has "provided substantial evidence that objective scientific knowledge is being distorted for political ends by the Bush administration, and misrepresented or even withheld from Congress and the public at large."
Part IV - The Final Grade
The report calls for immediate action. To call for something like this, in defiance of the Whitehouse, especially in an election year, shows that that the authors and endorsers of the report have either gone nuts to take on the President, or they feel so strongly about it that they believe immediate action must be taken to avoid the impending disasters if the current road is not changed.
The report brings to task the President of the United States George Bush,
"the president should immediately request his science advisor to prepare a set of recommendations for executive orders and other actions to prohibit further censorship and distortion of scientific information from federal agencies, and put an end to practices that undermine the integrity of scientific advisory panels.
chastises the Congress, and says
"Congress should ensure that this administration should ensure that this administration and future administrations reverse this dangerous trend."
exhorts the Scientist to fight for the freedoms, including freedom of speech,
"Scientists must encourage their professional societies and colleagues to become engaged in this issue, discuss their concerns directly with elected representatives, and communicate the importance of this issue to the public, both directly and through the media."
and asks the public for help
"the public must also voice its concern about this issue to its elected representatives."
Kuro5hin.org | February 21, 2004
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