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USGS scientists worry about being muzzled
msnbc (AP) ^ | Dec 16 2006 | John Heilprin

Posted on 01/12/2007 12:29:17 AM PST by djf

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is clamping down on scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey, the latest agency subjected to controls on research that might go against official policy.

New rules require screening of all facts and interpretations by agency scientists who study everything from caribou mating to global warming. The rules apply to all scientific papers and other public documents, even minor reports or prepared talks, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

Top officials at the Interior Department’s scientific arm say the rules only standardize what scientists must do to ensure the quality of their work and give a heads-up to the agency’s public relations staff.

(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Miscellaneous
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To: kinoxi

“Having been admonished by this Holy Office [the Inquisition] entirely to abandon the false opinion that the Sun was the center of the universe and immovable, and that the Earth was not the center of the same and that it moved... I abjure with a since”

-Galileo Galilei


21 posted on 01/12/2007 3:05:09 AM PST by Szent_Adam_Kiraly (a man a plan a canal panama)
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To: Szent_Adam_Kiraly

What is a close to 400 year old quote supposed to mean? Things have changed since then I think.


22 posted on 01/12/2007 3:12:29 AM PST by kinoxi
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To: indcons

Precisely.

Do folks favoring this want it to happen in a Hillary administration?

I thought not.


23 posted on 01/12/2007 3:13:14 AM PST by From many - one.
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To: djf

We'll probably have some leaks from the USGS just like every other branch of the Bush administration.


24 posted on 01/12/2007 3:22:08 AM PST by caver (Yes, I did crawl out of a hole in the ground.)
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To: kinoxi

"What is a close to 400 year old quote supposed to mean? Things have changed since then I think."

Yes, things have chaged since then. The change has been largly due to government having very limited control on scientific publication.


25 posted on 01/12/2007 3:28:07 AM PST by Szent_Adam_Kiraly (a man a plan a canal panama)
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To: Szent_Adam_Kiraly

The USGS is government funded.


26 posted on 01/12/2007 3:29:11 AM PST by kinoxi
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To: kinoxi

"The USGS is government funded."

Yeah, and? Are they funded to support whatever administration happens to be in power? Or are they funded to conduct sound science?


27 posted on 01/12/2007 3:34:03 AM PST by Szent_Adam_Kiraly (a man a plan a canal panama)
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To: Szent_Adam_Kiraly

Both.


28 posted on 01/12/2007 3:34:41 AM PST by kinoxi
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To: kinoxi

And when the results do not support the administration, What is the priority?


29 posted on 01/12/2007 3:46:06 AM PST by Szent_Adam_Kiraly (a man a plan a canal panama)
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To: Szent_Adam_Kiraly

The priority is the truth. Not writing blank checks for dubious purposes.


30 posted on 01/12/2007 3:49:22 AM PST by kinoxi
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To: djf
We have professional scientists on the payroll because they're professional scientists and will give us the straight scoop.

Modern science is as thoroughly politicized as any of the other academic professions, more so than some. Conjectures and hypotheses are often trotted out as "scientific fact" to make a political point. Happens all the time.

Is there any politicians in the White House who are competent enough to review USGS findings?

There is. People who work in OSTP (Office of Science and Technology Policy, run by the Presidential science advisor) are all trained scientists on temporary duty at the White House. They can and should comment on government funded scientific findings and evaluate them for policy makers. That's what they get paid for.

31 posted on 01/12/2007 3:52:40 AM PST by Cincinatus (Omnia relinquit servare Republicam)
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To: djf

Note to all federal employees:

"He who pays the piper calls the tune".

Those who are unhappy with this arrangement are free to seek employment elsewhere.

Reason #337 for minimizing the scope of government activities: "government funded science" is an oxymoron.


32 posted on 01/12/2007 3:58:10 AM PST by Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek
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To: kinoxi

Yeah, but I think a given administrations priority is power before truth.

Just imagine Democrats recieving a study (pre publication) showing that current global warming has no corolation with human activity. Now tell me truth is the priority.


33 posted on 01/12/2007 3:59:54 AM PST by Szent_Adam_Kiraly (a man a plan a canal panama)
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To: djf

The problem is that these scientists dabble in politics as much or more than scientific matters.


34 posted on 01/12/2007 4:01:30 AM PST by Brilliant
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To: Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek
"government funded science" is an oxymoron.

Tell that to the former inhabitants of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

35 posted on 01/12/2007 4:01:43 AM PST by Cincinatus (Omnia relinquit servare Republicam)
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To: Szent_Adam_Kiraly

We disagree.


36 posted on 01/12/2007 4:02:38 AM PST by kinoxi
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To: Brilliant

"The problem is that these scientists dabble in politics as much or more than scientific matters."

Can you back that up?


37 posted on 01/12/2007 4:03:48 AM PST by Szent_Adam_Kiraly (a man a plan a canal panama)
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To: Szent_Adam_Kiraly

Read the section of the article titled "Criticism over scientific integrity".


38 posted on 01/12/2007 4:11:44 AM PST by Brilliant
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To: djf
Is there any politicians in the White House who are competent enough to review USGS findings?

If these guys are so brilliant, why are they working in the public sector?

Just askin' :)

39 posted on 01/12/2007 4:15:44 AM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: djf

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am sure Dr Dalton was doing what he thought was in your town's best interests. However, I have learned through bitter experience that these decisions are not to be made lightly.

Back years ago I would have bet you a million bucks that Mammoth Mountain was about to go up. We began to talk about the possibility of putting that town on alert. Thank God the mountain didn't go up, but the damage had already been done. The word leaked out that the U.S.G.S. Had expressed concern. So the tourists panicked and stayed away. The real estate values plummeted, and the town nearly went bankrupt.

Consequently, I'm now a lot more cautious when it comes to even talking about putting a town on alert."

40 posted on 01/12/2007 4:17:15 AM PST by Rb ver. 2.0
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