Science and Politics. Just say no!

I'm a firm believer in science. To me science is the key to our existence. As a race we must learn more about our planet, our galaxy and our universe in general. As advanced as our current science is, there is a threat to science; Politics. I found an investigative report done by the "UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM" done in late 2007. The report is rather long and provides detailed evidence on how the government censored scientists on the subject of Global Climate Change.

Let us start with the conclusion of this report.

The Committee’s 16-month investigation reveals a systematic White House effort to censor climate scientists by controlling their access to the press and editing testimony to Congress. The White House was particularly active in stifling discussions of the link between increased hurricane intensity and global warming. The White House also sought to minimize the significance and certainty of climate change by extensively editing government climate change reports. Other actions taken by the White House involved editing EPA legal opinions and op-eds on climate change.

Okay, so the report tells us that the White House actively controlled any information about Global Climate Change given to the public. What struck me the most was their censorship on data relating to the increase in storm intensity shortly following Hurricane Katrina. For future reference NOAA is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In September 2005, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Max Mayfield, the Director of the National Hurricane Center, was scheduled to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee. On September 6, 2005, Tom Jones of Senator Ted Stevens’ Commerce Committee staff e-mailed Noel Turner in NOAA’s Office of Legislative Affairs. He wrote:

We’re going to work on smacking the shit out of this issue. At the hearing on the 14th we’re going to ask max mayfield about it. I’d love to have an answer from him that doesn’t contain any long words or flavor of equivocation. Something like, “mr chairman, the individuals who are implying that Katrina has something to do with global warming are just plain wrong. They don’t understand the science and they’re shamelessly trying to make political hay out of a national tragedy.”

Noel Turner then e-mailed John Sokich of NOAA, stating:

Talked to Tom Jones a bit today, and have additional insight into what he is looking for. With respect to the climate change issue, he is looking for something quotable. I believe his exact words were something “pithy, short, and quotable.” While I don’t think his verbage is quite right, he is looking for something along the lines of “Mr chairman, the individuals who are implying that Katrina has something to do with global warming are just plain wrong. They don’t understand the science and they’re shamelessly trying to make political hay out of a national tragedy.” I would not say that, verbatim, would be appropriate for either the VADM [Vice Admiral Lautenbacher, Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere] or Max, as it just doesn’t sound like something they’d say — but if we can get something close and quotable, that would probably be good. … I think [t]he number one priority with this hearing is making FEMA look bad. Number two could be killing the climate change and hurricanes issue.”

So if I read that right they are actively seeking to censor any relation between Global Climate Change and Hurricane Katrina. To me this is not only a travesty of science, but a complete disrespect and blatant disregard for those who have died in that horrible event. In the aftermath of Katrina the rescue efforts were heavily criticized for being slow and unsatisfactory. Many people also criticized the lack of preparation set out by local authorities. These are other issues entirely, though and I will not go into them in detail.

The White House also seems to have gotten their grubby hands on reports and case studies pertaining to Climate Change. Why the American government seeks to censor such information is beyond me.

The White House systematically minimized the significance of climate change by editing government climate change reports. Documents obtained by the Committee show that CEQ Chief of Staff Philip Cooney and other CEQ officials made at least 181 edits to the Administration’s Strategic Plan of the Climate Change Science Program to exaggerate or emphasize scientific uncertainties. They also made at least 113 additional edits to the plan to deemphasize or diminish the importance of the human role in global warming. Other Administration documents that were heavily edited by the White House include EPA’s Report on the Environment, the annual report to Congress entitled Our Changing Planet, and EPA’s Latest Findings on National Air Quality: 2002 Status and Trends.

Science is about the truth. Whenever lies get involved in science things tend to get sour. I read through the entire 33 page report with my jaw gradually lowering further and further as I read on. I had heard of the controversy involving global climate change, but never did I believe it to be the work of the government. This begs the question though; what else is the American government keeping from the public? Are other world powers doing the same thing to their scientists? How would this affect our future as a race?

the world does not need crap like this. I already dislike politics in general, but to me this just takes the cake. I'm disgusted by this and I'm sure many others are as well. The internet is a wonderful way to spread information, which is why I opted to write about this here, hopefully others will read the report to spread the word if not for science, but for truth.

You can read the report for yourself here.