• In Age of Trump, Scientists Show Signs of a Political Pulse
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[IMG]https://cdn1.nyt.com/images/2017/02/04/science/07SCIENTIST1/07SCIENTIST1-articleLarge.jpg[/IMg] [I]Michael Eisen in his lab at the University of California in Berkeley, Calif. Dr. Eisen registered the Twitter handle @SenatorPhD and declared his intention to run in the 2018 election for a seat in the United States Senate. [/I] [Quote] Michael Eisen, an evolutionary biologist, is among the elite of American scientists, with a tenured position at the University of California, Berkeley, and generous funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute for his research on fruit flies. But late last month, dismayed over the Trump administration’s apparent disdain for evidence on climate change and other issues, Dr. Eisen registered the Twitter handle @SenatorPhD and declared his intention to run in the 2018 election for a seat in the United States Senate from California. His campaign slogan: “Liberty, Equality, Reality.” “I’m not sure I’m the best vehicle for this,” said Dr. Eisen, whose professional attire consists of shorts and T-shirts bearing mottos supporting open access to scientific literature, a cause he has championed. “But if we want to defend the role of science in policy making, scientists need to run for office.” Since Mr. Trump’s election, many other scientists have expressed concern about rumors and public statements on the new administration’s views on science, climate change and the role of federal offices like the Environmental Protection Agency. Mr. Trump has called climate change a hoax (although more recently said he would have an “open mind” about it) and appointed some officials to his transition team who dispute mainstream climate science. But there is much that is still unclear about his administration’s attitudes toward science. The president has yet to appoint a science adviser and has not responded to open letters calling on him to do so from science policy groups including the American Association for the Advancement of Science (whose president, Rush D. Holt, is a physicist and former congressman). Few scientists have gone as far as Dr. Eisen, but other researchers are now undergoing a political awakening, contemplating what their role should be for at least the next few years. “There are many conversations going on right now,” said Naomi Oreskes, a historian of science at Harvard who spoke at one of the first scientist-led anti-Trump protests, a rally in San Francisco during the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union in December. “Many scientists do feel that the time for sitting on the sidelines is past.” A political action committee that seeks to get more scientists and engineers to run for elective office, 314 Action, has seen a surge of interest in its programs, with more than 2,000 people registering at its website. The group is planning a training program for scientist-candidates, whether they want to run for local or state offices or Congress. Other scientists have organized demonstrations — including a march now set for Washington on Earth Day, April 22 — submitted letters or opinion articles to news organizations or joined efforts to preserve government data that they fear may otherwise disappear. Individuals and groups have also spoken out against Mr. Trump’s executive order restricting travel for citizens of Iran, Iraq and five other countries, an action that has affected some researchers. [/Quote] [URL="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/06/science/donald-trump-scientists-politics.html"]The New York Times[/URL]
Heartening to see, but while science has become increasingly politicized already, I worry that this may become tool to further discredit politically-inconvenient research. "Crooked Dr. Smith pushes more FAKE SCIENCE to stop the FUBAR Act and help his re-election campaign! Sad!" edit: (in the eyes of the general public)
Scientists are already highly political. I don't think I've ever met one that wasn't. Not to mention the polarized groups that form from differing theories and tenure.
Happy those with actual scientific background may be able to influence law regarding the environment, but I'm worried about their political skill in just about every other field of politics.
[QUOTE=A B.A. Survivor;51784845]Scientists are already highly political. I don't think I've ever met one that wasn't. Not to mention the polarized groups that form from differing theories and tenure.[/QUOTE] Politcally aware and engaged, certainly, but very rarely will a scientist move from the field of science to politics. That trend might be away to change.
i honestly wish i had more time at my current job because Id love nothing else but to run against my fuckwhit of a congressman whos shut the government down three times now and hasnt been within 100 miles of my side of the state in ages thanks to our fucking gerrymandered district too bad my district has never not elected a republican
[QUOTE=A B.A. Survivor;51784845]Scientists are already highly political. I don't think I've ever met one that wasn't. Not to mention the polarized groups that form from differing theories and tenure.[/QUOTE] When acknowledging scientific reality has become a partisan issue, its hard not to be political.
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