Endangered Truth: Exposing the Administration’s Lies on Science
It’s long been a right-wing canard that the federal Endangered Species Act is, if you’ll pardon the term, a political animal. Wacko environmentalists, the theory goes, just want to steal land out from under honest, hard-working Americans, and they use the existence of, say, the piebald socialist toad (Namus madeupicus) to accomplish their nefarious purpose.
Well, everything is political - just not always in the way you might expect.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reversed a handful of rulings that denied endangered-species protection after an investigation found that a former Bush administration official, Julie McDonald, pressured scientists to change their conclusions for political reasons.
McDonald, who served as the deputy assistant secretary overseeing the agency, resigned in May. Without naming McDonald, the investigation found that the decisions had been “inappropriately influenced … revising the seven identified decisions is supported by scientific evidence and the proper legal standards.”
The reversal could affect protected status of several species, including the white-tailed prairie dog, Canada lynx and Preble’s meadow jumping mouse, found in Boulder County.
But there are three times as many cases in which “we have evidence of (political) interference,” said Francesca Grifo of the Union of Concerned Scientists. Tuesday’s ruling, while welcome, “does not begin to plumb the depths of what’s wrong” at the Fish and Wildlife Service when it comes to protecting endangered species, Grifo said.
McDonald shamefully illustrates the baldly political Bush administration approach to science. Trained as a civil engineer, she had no expertise in biology or species protection. And when the science pointed to conclusions not to her bosses’ liking, she simply put the screws to those working under her to “fix” the findings. She told them to lie, in other words.
The episode recalls any number of similar efforts by the administration to subordinate science to politics, as when federal scientists were prohibited from talking about the effects of climate change on declining polar bear numbers, and when former White House official Philip Cooney (previously an oil-industry lobbyist) single-handedly redacted and altered scientific conclusions in a key report on climate change.
Whatever one thinks about the validity of the (sorry, overwhelming) conclusions of climate scientists or the efficacy of the Endangered Species Act, surely we can agree that untrained political hacks should not be the arbiters of “truth” in science.
One of the most disturbing developments in the past seven years has been the growing currency of the notion that science is just another political philosophy, based on the opinions of scheming scientists (though what, exactly, they’re scheming for is never made clear).
The McDonald decision is a welcome reversal of that trend - which never would have happened if both Congress and the White House had remained in GOP hands.
Clay Evans is guest editor for the Camera editorial board
© 2007 Daily Camera and Boulder Publishing, LLC.
{quote}: “The McDonald decision is a welcome reversal of that trend - which never would have happened if both Congress and the White House had remained in GOP hands.”
Daniel David: You’ve found a comrade on CD! Milk it for everything you can!
In the Bush administration politics - and unquestioned loyalty - trumps everything. And I do mean everything. There has always been some nepotism and payback of political favors when it comes to a President’s administration and who they appoint/promote in the various agencies. But W has raised this beyond all reason, and that is why I think (hope) he will go down as the worst president in US history.
23 year old journalism dropouts vetting and rewriting NASA papers (limiting any talk of global warming). Installing industry lobbyists and unqualified political hacks (EPA, Mine Safety, FDA, etc) to head agencies. The CPA hiring 24 year olds to head Iraq’s budget and being in charge of their stock market. John “Yosemite Sam” Bolton as ambassador to the UN. 30-something Regent U lawyers (some with NO felony trial experience) as assistant US Attorneys. Oh, and a 23 year old Regent Law grad as the head of personnel under Alberto Gonzales. The list seems endless.
I know better than to say it couldn’t get any worse. We still have 13 months left in W’s term, and there are some real doozies in the Republican primary. God help us if they get elected.
It will take many years, maybe even decades, to undo the damage that Bush has done in 8 years and that the Republican Party has done to our country since Reagan.
I must admit I never understood how Republicons or anyone(the Japanese and their whaling, or the Chinese and their shark fin habits) could benefit if a species goes extinct. They have a selfish, human centered view of Nature and exploiting it, but how do they benefit if they drive a species to extinction? Human irrationality I guess.
Anyway, Republicons use a fast food appeal to sway the masses.
They appeal to traditional simplistic views towards Nature–that its there for humans, that you can destroy it because God is going to bail out his favorite species(just like the zionists believe their God will bail out their chosen people).
Its much easier to say: hey! pollute rivers and the sky because God wants you to and he will fix it in the end, than it is to say: you have to show responsibility, moderation.
Humans dont do moderation well, especially when coupled with technology and religious fanaticism(whether spiritual humanist or secular humanist).
Plus–science is used to justify a myriad of views, not just “the truth.”
Its best to rely on wisdom, not science.
Don’t forget about the NASA study on air traffic safety. The study somehow disappeared after 11 million dollars showed that air traffic safety in the United States is not as safe as people believe.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071202/ap_on_go_ot/air_safety_secrets
The neocons hate science when it acts against the interests of capitalism.
You mean there is something the administration WON’T lie about?
They benefit, because they see things only in the short term and if there is a short term profit to be made, screw their children. They don’t care about anyone else. Science, religion, and macroeconomics are all lies to be manipulated for their personal greed and gain. Some of their damage will never be undone. The people, who have died in this Iraq war, will not be brought back. Those who have lost limbs will not grow them back. The soldier’s psychological scarring will have affect them for many years to come. We have 13 more months to go and it is time that congress turns this administration into lame ducks.
IOWAIRISH, I do believe it was the word ‘trend’ Clay Evans was refering to when he says it would never had happend if the Republians still controlled the house and senate. So David don’t have to milk it, it’s a fact. Of course subtrafuge and lying are another set of issues, and both parties are adept at that.
Bush’s muzzling of scientist extends to public health, as Dr Richard Carmona revealed, to education, by his support of creationism, to the environment, through his suppression of global warming science, and a host of others. It goes back to Reagan, who dithered on HIV and the environment, too.
There is a difference between the democrats and these republicans! There is a difference between these republicans and any other republicans who have ever held power.
Ike and Goldwater must be turning over in their graves. Even Tricky Dick might be shocked at the lies, doublespeak, paradigm shifting using right wing media, minders and hacks throughout the government, ugly Americanism abroad, and cynical betrayal of the voters who elected them. Not to mention the really bad choices this admin has made, and the disaster they it leave behind.
The only way to end this is to vote these guys out. The only way to ensure this happens is ensure the dems win. The Greens and Naderites will have other elections, and local elections.
kelmer said:
“Its best to rely on wisdom, not science.”
Some think the Wizard of Oz is wise. Some even think Bush and Cheney are. But they all drive cars built using science.
bbr said:
“The only way to end this is to vote these guys out. The only way to ensure this happens is ensure the dems win.”
The problem is, if we vote for Hillary, were likely to lose the election.
I am so glad to hear of this decision on the part of U.S Fish and Wildlife. I may have missed it had I not chanced to stop in here this evening, late as it is.
I for one cannot wait until the Bush administration’s term has expired. This has been a breathtakingly bizarre and demoralizing eight years.
Relax, people, on speculating who we should vote for or may get for president. Remember, Bush was picked by God to be our president and when he did not get enough votes to be elected, God was there with the solution to put him in, so it is out of our hands anyway. If Bush does not bring about the rapture, armageddon, or whatever, then the next one will have to be picked to do the job. That is the great thing about having a Christian nation, we don`t have to worry about who will be elected.
“Wacko environmentalists, the theory goes, just want to steal land out from under honest, hard-working Americans… to accomplish their nefarious purpose.”
That’s not a theory - that is a fact, it’s just worded incorrectly. Absolutely we are trying to take back as much land as we can from those “hard working Americans” who STOLE IT FROM US real hard working Americans in the first place.
Our nefarious purpose? To protect Earth for future generations… er, I mean, to, er, screw benevolent corporations out of their right to rape and pillage and plunder the Commonwealth. Or something…
The Union of Concerned Scientists has an A-Z list of political interference in science.
http://www.ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity/interference/a-to-z-alphabetical.html
We are becoming like Soviet Russia with a political commissar in every department.
Actually Ruth K, itis more like P
This smacks of the empty headed persecution of Galileo by the Vatican when his science came to a theologically incorrect conclusion–or places like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia where “Muslim” science is taught right along with Muslim history, math and probably mathematics too. God of all creation deliver us from the darkened and demented minds of those whose faith is in magic instead of a careful examination of available evidence.
You’re either FOR White House interference in science or you’re WITH the terrorists.
HbitatVic said:
“I know better than to say it couldn’t get any worse. We still have 13 months left in W’s term, and there are some real doozies in the Republican primary. God help us if they get elected.”
I know for certain it will get worse, because the arrogant bastard said: “Today I have earned political captial, and I intend to spend it” when he was “re” elected in 2004. (it’s hard to be re elected if he was never elected in the first place, twice).
This is going to be (has been) scorched earth. This was never intended to be an American citizen serving his country, it was a paid political hack trading on his daddy’s name to try to fix what his daddy had guilt he never got right, and in the process found out that all the people who paid to put him on that pedestal wanted to get their money’s worth.
This country is just to afraid to admit how badly we’ve been used, and how those who used us have cost us our reputation that cannot possibly be rebuilt in the lifetime of anyone who can read this.
Scorched Earth now, folks - the political captial is long gone, the good will was found to be a fraud from the start, and the fear of 9/11 is no longer selling hotcakes the way it used to. We can expect there to be pardons, policies, signing statements, and vetoes to come flying from his ____ until the day the moving crew arrives.
We forget the presidential records act that keeps this all a secret until “another administration” chooses to release it: this was done to keep a lid on all of Reagan’s nefarious truths and they would never have allowed passage of a law that allows a president to release anything unless they knew they could control who this was.
America - get up off your asses. Grab a sign. What we did for VietNam should pale compared to what we must do next. Because VietNam, as tragic as it was, will be a footnote next to the legacy of this lunatic and the cabal that think only they and Jesus and an unimaginable pile of money can make everything look the way they think it should be while the rest of us resign ourselves to say, “We must respect democracy, and it looks like we lost”.
We lost a lot more than the election, and the point this country has not woken up to yet is that we stand to lose so much more.
No Pseudo-Scientist Left Behind!
You’re either having a nightmare or BE’ing a day dreamer
Ha!
HabitatVic opined “It will take many years, maybe even decades to undo the damage that Bush has done in 8 years and that the Republican Party has done to our country since Reagan.
When Kennedy was shot, I had the sinking feeling that our country would never be the same again. It’s been 44 years now, and it never has been.
Likewise, I don’t think our country will ever be able to undo the damage that Bush and Reagan have done. The Iraq war will fester for years, destroying our economy and breeding hatreds that will last for generations. Our credibility is so low that it is widely percieved that Russia will be a more effective mediator of the Israeli-Palestinian situation than the US.
Our children and grandchildren will be burdened with unimaginable public debts, essentially reducing them the the status of serfs to the rich and to foreign interests. They will face shortages of resources and find that we, their elders, did nothing — nothing — to change course while we still had the resources to do so. In the most literal sense, we sold them out for an SUV.
The kicker, however, is that those who have dragged us into this morass have no intention of fading to black at the end of this episode. Those forces are playing for keeps, and the American public has not yet recognized, and seemingly is reluctant to even consider, that the levers of power are pulled by those with money, and, in a self-reinforcing cycle, are using those levers to separate the American people from as much of their money as they can.
Or does anyone here think it’s just happenstance that we’re witnessing disparities of wealth today not seen since the 1920s?
When Kennedy was shot, I had the sinking feeling that our country would never be the same again. It’s been 44 years now, and it never has been.
That’s exactly true. The assassination of President Kennedy and the subsequent botched “investigation” (whether or not Oswald was the sole assassin) followed by Vietnam, Watergate, ad infinitum, began the decline of the United States. Nothing has stopped it and probably nothing will. As Scott Ritter said, Americans have ceased being citizens. Uncle Sam is walking around naked, wearing a peanut shell for a jock strap and wondering why everyone is laughing at him.
Thank goddess for environmentalist intervention in my hometown.When I walked to the store with my foodstamps because my company was sacrificed to save the salmon, it gave me a warm feeling to know a fish was swimming free.