Politics & Science

My political nemesis sent me an article complaining that the newly appointed John Holden to direct the president's Council of Advisers on Science and Technology will let

 his leftist politics influence his job.  Holden's 1970's stand on the enviornement was leftist and contrary to Obama's recent statement, 

"Because the truth is that promoting science isn't just about providing resources -- it's about protecting free and open inquiry. It's about ensuring that facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology. I could not have a better team to guide me in this work."

Take another look at Holden’s early  ideas and you’ll find that he was a bit off as to the numbers and dates but right about the general direction of our deterioration.  At the time, 1970, the foolishness of not paying attention to pollution, depleting fossil fuel reserves and the greed in the defense, auto, banking and oil industries was less apparent then it became in 1973.  The bottom line is that science beats out the blind faith that things are less bad as the “liberals” say things are and we don’t have to worry about the state of our world at the moment or in the future.  

Even if the global warming fear mongers prove to be very wrong at least, following their lead, we will in fifty years lessen our need for fossil fuels, develop new job creating technologies and cleanse the air millions of humans, plants and animals breath.  

There is truth that once you place the development of science policy into a government function you will have political influences as to their motifs but the hope is that there will also be a solid scientific base to the justification of the policies in spite of the politics.  The republican record is dismal and dangerous as far as environmental protection action goes.  So, why worry about Holden’s leftist leaning?  Beats me, but the majority of college professors, scientists, intellectuals, artists, producers, Nobel prize winners, geniuses and shoe makers are and have always been leaning more to the left politically and this will never change.  The alternative is to have uneducated, close minded, selfish and religious zealots creating science policy because they are republican, right thinking politicians.  Give me the left in government and keep the right in the church/synagogue/mosque!

xoxo