One of the most trenchant observers of the science/policy interface is Daniel Sarewitz, co-director of Arizona State University’s Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes. Since 2009, Sarewitz has been a regular columnist for the journal Nature. He writes for both general and specialized audiences. His insightful essays, on everything from the politics of climate change…Continue Reading…
Several weeks ago, in a post at the Yale Forum on Climate Change & the Media, I said that Chris Mooney’s “new book argues that Republicans are genetically wired to be anti-science.” In an email to me, Chris asserted that this characterization “misrepresented” his book, which is called “The Republican Brain: The Science of Why They…Continue Reading…
In recent years, when the U.S. was mired in two wars that seemed to be ignored by the public at large, some politicos and pundits talked about resurrecting the military draft. As you can guess, the idea didn’t gain any traction. We Americans prefer to outsource our wars to willing volunteers. But what about some…Continue Reading…
That is the title of this trenchant Kevin Drum post, which nails an unfortunate dynamic that is corroding U.S. politics and public debate. The first important point Drum makes is about the dangers of spending too much time on the web, where the loudest and most extreme voices actually do have a disproportionate influence sometimes….Continue Reading…
Ken Green, the conservative AEI scholar who has been sparring with liberal science writer Chris Mooney over which political party is more anti-science, keeps digging himself a bigger hole. Yesterday, I called attention to the loaded language Green used to describe his political opponents. I also wasn’t very impressed with his sourcing. Via Twitter, Green…Continue Reading…
You are what you eat, and you are what you say. Or put another way, the kind of person you are is revealed by the language and terms you use to characterize those whose politics or policies you disagree with. Ken Green tells me everything I need to know about him here, of which this…Continue Reading…
On that latest bit of ugliness to rear its head at a Republican Presidential candidate debate, a James Fallows reader writes: I think the booing encapsulates what the Republican party we could once vote for now represents to moderate independents like myself: – A few people loudly proclaim repugnant (or in other cases nonsensical) things….Continue Reading…
Here’s the charge, from Chris Mooney: Political conservatives in the U.S. today have overwhelming problems with science. They reject, in large numbers, mainstream and accepted knowledge on fundamental things about humans and the planet”“evolution, global warming, to name a few. I also recently posted about how systematically conservatives undermine science with respect to reproductive health. And this is…Continue Reading…
There’s a lot of teeth gnashing in green circles over the Solyndra fallout. Even if it wasn’t an election year, Republicans would be cynically milking the story for all it’s worth, and that spigot shows no sign of going dry anytime soon. Are they being hypocritical? Sure. You bet they are. But let’s at least be honest and…Continue Reading…