Bush’s Corruption of Science

The Union of Concerned Scientists is once again criticizing the Bush Administration for replacing good science with “sound science.” Sound science is of course a code word used by people who want science to conform to their politics instead of using science to inform their politics.

White House science adviser Dr. John Marburger and HHS spokesman Bill Pierce have denied the administration is distorting science. Pierce says HHS is seeking a diversity of opinions.

But Robert Paine, an ecologist at University of Washington who chaired an advisory panel on endangered salmon and trout, said his team was warned by the government to remove facts that undermined policy.

“We were told to strip out specific scientific recommendations or see our report end up in a drawer,” Paine said.

The report includes accusations of administration interference on strip mining, drug approvals and protection of endangered species.

A pattern of behavior emerged a long time ago with how this administration treated information, whether it was from scientists or the CIA. This administration uses politicical ends to warp the information it receives and releases to the public. This runs counter to effective policy making that uses information to inform and support political ends.

This administration, like its creationist breathren, suffers from a demon. The only problem is that we have to bear the consequences.