Science and Stupidity:When Opinon replaces facts

[filghy2]

The acting chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been sacked, apparently for insisting on scientific integrity. Not coincidentally, the same man also contradicted Trump's erroneous claims about the path Of Hurricane Dorian last year - termed "Sharpiegate" because the official map was modified amateurishly to accord with Trump's claims.https://www.vox.com/2020/10/31/21540...ce-zeta-dorian

Given the lack of any policy agenda for the next 4 years it seems that Trump's main priority if he remains President will be to purge anyone in government who has failed to defer to him by insisting on any kind of standard other than Trump's wishes.

[KnightHawk 2.0]

The acting chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been sacked, apparently for insisting on scientific integrity. Not coincidentally, the same man also contradicted Trump's erroneous claims about the path Of Hurricane Dorian last year - termed "Sharpiegate" because the official map was modified amateurishly to accord with Trump's claims.https://www.vox.com/2020/10/31/21540...ce-zeta-dorian

Given the lack of any policy agenda for the next 4 years it seems that Trump's main priority if he remains President will be to purge anyone in government who has failed to defer to him by insisting on any kind of standard other than Trump's wishes.

Another example of Donald-D.A.M.N-Trump silencing someone who doesn't agree with him or his warped point o f view. and also shows that he doesn't believe in climate change,science or facts.

[Stavros]

If you want to ask profound questions about the Moon's orbit around the Earth, and the Earth's orbit around the Sun with the proposal that these be changed to deal effectively with Climate Change, ask the US Forest Service....

There are times when one gasps at the things people say, and it will never end-

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...e-change-video

[trish]

Clowns like Gohmert don’t trust the federal government to do anything, neither about the environment nor managing us through the pandemic. But changing the orbits of the Earth and the Moon (as if that were easier and safer than conserving our resources and putting a check on our use of fossil fuels), they’re fine with that! Maybe the plan is to hand the job off to the private sector…Bezos or Musk.

[broncofan]

Clowns like Gohmert don’t trust the federal government to do anything, neither about the environment nor managing us through the pandemic.

I wonder if it's really a lack of trust in the government's ability or that they don't want anyone to have to make a sacrifice for anyone else (I realize that's why you're pointing out the inconsistency in their positions).

I think these are just people whose utopia is one where people who start with advantages can accumulate lots of wealth and never have to think about problems that require collective action. It's easier to say a disease is just like the flu if you know that if it isn't you might have to close businesses for months and rely on government subsidies to keep people above water. Easier to say that environmentalists are hysterics for wanting us to pay a tax proportional to our emissions of certain greenhouse gases than to slightly inconvenience a large corporation by having them pay that tax.

They say government is weak or impotent and then they fill positions in our regulatory agencies with weak and unqualified people who don't believe in the missions of those agencies. As you point out the only government private sector cooperation they like is a hand off to someone super wealthy for what sounds like an implausible vanity project dreamed up by an idiot with too much money like Musk. They know federal funding can accomplish its objectives whenever they want something, like a war that makes lots of loud noises and leaves hundreds of thousands dead.

[Stavros]

I wonder if it's really a lack of trust in the government's ability or that they don't want anyone to have to make a sacrifice for anyone else (I realize that's why you're pointing out the inconsistency in their positions).

I think these are just people whose utopia is one where people who start with advantages can accumulate lots of wealth and never have to think about problems that require collective action. It's easier to say a disease is just like the flu if you know that if it isn't you might have to close businesses for months and rely on government subsidies to keep people above water. Easier to say that environmentalists are hysterics for wanting us to pay a tax proportional to our emissions of certain greenhouse gases than to slightly inconvenience a large corporation by having them pay that tax.

They say government is weak or impotent and then they fill positions in our regulatory agencies with weak and unqualified people who don't believe in the missions of those agencies. As you point out the only government private sector cooperation they like is a hand off to someone super wealthy for what sounds like an implausible vanity project dreamed up by an idiot with too much money like Musk. They know federal funding can accomplish its objectives whenever they want something, like a war that makes lots of loud noises and leaves hundreds of thousands dead.

Either these people genuinely believe what they said -but to me, with an absence of sujpporting evidence, or they take a contrary view just for the sake of it -MT Greene -""I don't believe in evolution," she told Bannon."I believe in God,"

There seems to me to be a distinct lack of debate on policy, as McConnell has said he will oppose everything presented to Congress by Presidet Biden, and will not sujpport any new nominee to the Supreme Court if one becomes available But suppose there is a policy offered as a new law that benefits all Amercans? I find this childish on McConnell's part, and a confirmation that sectarian politics is not going away, so when will Biden realise trying to resurrect the bi-partisan politics of his youth is a waste of time?

And remember that on many issues, take lead in gasoline, the science was right but the politics condemned -'it will destoy the auto indusry' was a familiar complaint in the 1960s, but dd no such thing.

[Stavros]

Clowns like Gohmert don’t trust the federal government to do anything, neither about the environment nor managing us through the pandemic. But changing the orbits of the Earth and the Moon (as if that were easier and safer than conserving our resources and putting a check on our use of fossil fuels), they’re fine with that! Maybe the plan is to hand the job off to the private sector…Bezos or Musk.

It is the ignorance which I find startling, because Congress has at its disposal one of the finest libraries in the world, All Gohmert had to do to test his opinion, was ask someone on his staff to do some research.

Here in the UK, a new news channel -GBNews- started on Sunday, its intention is to 'telll the truth' free of 'wokeness', and the 'left-wing bias' of other channels, an allegation I don't see confirmed, but its seems anything the Libertarians don't iike is by definition left-wing, and to be left-wing is wrong, without any reason given.

One of its 'star' contributors will be Neil Oliver, a Scot know to most UK viewers for segments of a tv programme, 'Coast' and the TV histories of the Vikings, and of Scotland (though he is not, in the formal sense, an historian). He is a fine presener, so how does one explain this comment he made to a Scotish newspaper before GB News began-

"Oliver...told the Herald last weekend that lockdown was the “biggest single mistake in world history” .

What on earth does this mean, and how can anyone justify such a remark -not just British, but World history? The mind boggles, but as with Gohmert's igorance, could Oliver not at least give us some mistakes in world history to measure the lockdown by? For example, the invasions of Russia by Napoleon and Hitler were two epic mistakes.

[Stavros]

More on the IVF crisis in Alabama in this thoughtful article from The Guardian today. The second link has the media reporting that Tommy Tuberville supports the decision but doesn't have a clue what it means, and may not even know what the letters IVF stand for.

On the one hand no surprise that the Republican Party is supporting policies that the majority of American people do not want; on the other hand based on medical ignorance and a repudiation of science in favour of a mistaken belief that their religious views, and only their religious views should form the basis of health policy. As might be said 'God help us all!'.

Doctors shocked and angry as Alabama ruling throws IVF care into turmoil | IVF | The Guardian

Republicans struggle to respond to Alabama embryo ruling (yahoo.com)

[Stavros]

From this:

"In a concurring opinion in last week’s Alabama supreme court decision, Alabama’s chief justice, Tom Parker, invoked the prophet Jeremiah, Genesis and the writings of 16th- and 17th-century theologians.“Human life cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God,” he wrote. “Even before birth, all human beings have the image of God, and their lives cannot be destroyed without effacing his glory.”
The Republican party wants to turn America into a theocracy | Robert Reich | The Guardian

To this:
"Now, Republicans are scrambling to put out the fire without admitting they’re they’re the ones who lit the match.
In the memo, which was sent Friday, the Senate GOP urged its 2024 candidates to go all in on their support for IVF.
“Clearly state your support for IVF and fertility-related services as blessings for those seeking to have children,” and “publicly oppose any efforts to restrict access to IVF and other fertility treatments, framing such opposition as a defense of family values and individual freedom,” National Republican Senatorial Committee executive director Jason Thielman said in the memo"
Republicans Suddenly Realize Alabama's IVF Ruling Is Bad For Them | HuffPost UK Politics (huffingtonpost.co.uk)

Beware the Wrath of God...or...

[Stavros]

Project 2025 continues to form the foundations of a Trump administration's domestic policy, in this case

""rejecting the notion that abortion is health care and by restoring its mission statement under the Strategic Plan and elsewhere to include furthering the health and well-being of all Americans 'from conception to natural death.'""
Far-right wants 'Department of Life' in second Trump term to further curtail women’s rights (msn.com)

So, if a foetus fails to grow and threatens the life of the mother, or has severe complications which require a 'medical Abortion', this is not a matter of the health care of either the foetus or the mother, or both? Then it must be a political matter? Or maybe a Religious matter?

And can one assume the Department of Life will campaign inside the Govt for a nationwide ban on the Death Penalty and Executions? Nah, didn't think so.