Trump escalates his war on science and on scientists

December 21, 2018 GlenAnderson Conservatism and Right Wing, Energy Issues (Also see Oil, Climate, Environment), Environment, Governmental Abuses, Media (News and Other), Our Current Political Crisis (in addition to Trump and Trumpism), Science, Trump and Trumpism (Also see Our Current Political Crisis) 0

Ever since taking office in January 2017, Trump has been making war against truth, including scientific truth and scientists themselves.  He has been following Orwell’s 1984 novel in eliminating truthful information he does not want.  In the book it was destroyed in ways that Orwell could imagine, and now Trump is eliminating truth (including scientific truth) by deleting it from websites and prohibiting Executive Branch professionals from using certain words that Trump does not like.

Climate denialism and other phony-baloney nonsense have become orthodox.  Honest professional scientists are censored and demoted and hushed up in other ways.

This article from mid-December 2018 provides some information:   https://www.nationofchange.org/2018/12/19/the-trump-administrations-war-on-science-is-worse-than-the-inquisition/

The highly respected non-profit organization Union of Concerned Scientists (www.ucsusa.org) said this in December 2018:  “The EPA recently dismissed its particulate matter review panel, a group of experts who have provided vital input into EPA’s particulate standard updates since they began more than a decade ago.”  Another scientific advocacy organization (www.314action.org) explained:  “This was done with the intention of making it easier to allow corporate polluters and coal plants to get away with unsafe levels of emissions and soot — BOTH of which have major public health consequences.”

Regarding the larger issue of Trump’s war against science and scientists, the respected retired TV journalist Dan Rather said this:

Dan Rather: When someone starts an argument with. I'm not a scientist, but..maybe we should stop listening to them weighing in on science. And maybe news shows should stop asking these pundits to talk about something they're not qualified to talk about.

 

 

 

 

He also said this:

Dan Rather: I believe science should be subjected to policy discussions. But we can't have pundits and politicians confusing the public about scientific consensus. How should we respond to climate change? Let's debate. Scientists are part of a conspiracy and climate change isn't real? Not a debate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I very much like this sign, which appeared at a recent rally in support of honest science.

Click this link:  Poster held at pro-science rally

Sign this petition (started in mid-December 2018) urging Trump to listen to scientists, especially regarding the climate:
https://www.signherenow.org/petition/trust-scientists/pfaw/

 

 

 

 

About GlenAnderson 1514 Articles
Since the late 1960s Glen Anderson has devoted his life to working as a volunteer for peace, nonviolence, social justice, and progressive political issues. He has worked through many existing organizations and started several. Over the years he has worked especially for such wide-ranging goals as making peace with Vietnam, eliminating nuclear weapons, converting from a military economy to a peacetime economy, abolishing the death penalty, promoting nonviolence at all levels throughout society, and helping people organize and strategize for grassroots movements to solve many kinds of problems. He writes, speaks, and conducts training workshops on a wide variety of topics. Since 1987 he has produced and hosted a one-hour cable TV interview program on many kinds of issues. Since 2017 he has blogged at https://parallaxperspectives.org He lives in Lacey near Olympia WA. You can reach him at (360) 491-9093 glen@parallaxperspectives.org