07.12.

2016

CEH:WhattheTrumpPresidencyCouldMeanforScience

WhattheTrumpPresidencyCouldMeanforScience
Posted on November 9, 2016 in Education, Media, Philosophy of Science, Politics
and Ethics

Editorial:arisingtideofeconomicprosperitycouldliftscience,too,aslongasitishonestscienceservingthecitizenry.
ThemorningafterDonaldTrumpshistoricupset,hisopponentsinBigSciencearestrangelysilent.Theymaybeinshock.
Somesciencenewssites,liketheBBCNews,arepanicking,worriedwhatthiswillmeanforglobalwarmingtreaties.Oneguy
onTheConversationisblamingTwitterbotsforthevictory.MikeWallonSpace.comisalreadytellingTrumpwhatheneeds
todoforspacescience.Sciencereporterswillbeanalyzingthehistoricelectionfordaysandweeks,wonderingwhatit
portendsfortheirinterestgroup.
TheresnoquestionthatscientificinstitutionswereuniformlyandshamelesslyantiTrump,aswereported(10/16/16).Butthe
clearvictorynotonlyofPresidentelectTrumpbuttheprospectofallthreebranchesofAmericangovernmentleaning
Republican,coupledwiththatelectionnightimageofaredAmericanmapwithjustafewpocketsofDemocratblue,should
counselthewiseoftheloyaloppositiontoavoidstridentremarksatthistime.AntiTrumpismisimpoliticrightnowforthose
hopingtogetinthegoodgracesofthepopulistrevolution.
LetsconsidersomewaysinwhichscientificinstitutionscanbegladTrumpwon.Histheme,MakeAmericagreatagain,if
successful,willincludescience.Theslowrecoveryoverthelasteightyears,withitshightaxesandunprecedenteddebt,has
putadamperoneverything.Itsnotjustcoalminersandmanufacturerswhohavebeensuffering.Sciencefundingneedsa
robusteconomythatcangeneratetaxrevenue.Whenthegravyisplentiful,theresmoretogoaround.BigScienceshould
welcomeastrongAmericaneconomy.ThinkofalltherhetoricaboutAmericafallingbehindinscience.Itsnotbecauseof
creationism,asBillNyeiswonttocomplain.Thewholecountryhasbeenploddingalongfornearlyadecade.Ifyouwant
strongscience,makeAmericaprosperousagain.
Sciencehasalsosufferedalongwitheveryoneelsebecauseofinsecurityandinstabilityoverthepastdecade.Youcant
havesciencewithoutsecurity.Willyourlabfallvictimtothenextterroristattack?Willviolentstudentprotestshitthescience
building?Canyouhaveyournextscienceconferencewithoutfear?Theclearestresponsibilityofgovernmentisthesafetyof
itscitizens,andTrumphasmadetheruleoflawapriority.Lawenforcementagenciesareallonhisside.Ifyouwantstrong
science,makeAmericasafeagain.
Honestywillhelpscience.Thejournalshavebeenfrettingaboutfraudforyears.TodayonTheConversation,forinstance,
MarilynMcMahoncalledfortougheractiononfraud.Theethicsofasocietyflowfromthetopdown.Accordingtoexitpolls,
thedishonestyofHillaryClintonweighedheavilyonvotersminds.Itseemedthatpoliticalinsiderscouldgetawaywiththings
thatwouldlandordinarycitizensinjail.Ifshehadwon,herunscrupuloushabitsmightwellhavetemptedmanyascientistto
cheat,thinkingthatifourleaderscandoit,wecandoit.Ifyouwantstrongscience,makeAmericahonestagain.
Manyconservativesfeelchainsdroppingoffafterthiselection.Nowthatthepollsters,thepunditsandthenaysayerswere
provenwrong,theresfreedomintheairtosaywhatonebelieves.Politicalcorrectnessistrendingdownward.Alightwas
switchedon.ThethoughtpolicelooklikepretendersincheapHalloweencostumes,lessofathreat,lessabletoenforce
conformity.Howwillthathelpscience?Well,thoughtcontroltendstobackfireonitsenforcers.Sciencethriveson
transparent,freeexchangeofideas.Letstalk.Letsdebate.Letslistentoeachother.Ifyouwantstrongscience,openup
themarketplaceofideas.
Trumpisnoscientist,butneitherwasClinton.Shesaidshebelievesinscience,butshecouldnttellaproteinfroma
proton.Whatmattersforresearchersarethepoliciesofthetwocandidates.Trumphaspromisedtogetridofstifling
regulations.Whilethiswillundoubtedlyhelpsmallbusinesses,theairofindividualliberty(underlaw)willhavespillover
effectsonscience.Excessiveregulationhurtsuniversitiesandresearchlabsthat,likebusinesses,havetospendinordinate
amountsofmoneyreading,understandingandcomplyingwithpilesofpaperorderswritteninincomprehensiblelegalese
emanatingfromunelectedbureaucrats.Imaginehavingmoretimeandmoneytoactuallydoscience.Ifyouwantstrong
science,makeAmericafreeagain.
WeexpectthesecularDarwinlovingscientiststobefrettingaboutaresurgenceofcreationism.Noworriesifithappens,it
wontbebecauseTrumppushesit.MostevangelicalshaddeepconcernsaboutTrumpspaganismanyway.ThePresident
electhardlyknowsanythingabouttheissue,althoughVicePresidentPencemight.Trumpsmindisfocusedonlibertyand
prosperityforall.Theonlypossiblechallengesforevolutionistswillbe(1)needingtojustifytheexpenditureofmoneyon
Darwinianresearch,(2)needingtodefendDarwinisminsteadofassumingit.Trumpscallforschoolchoicewill,if
implemented,decentralizeschoolsandcreatemorecompetitioninthewayscienceistaught.Publicschoolswillstillbe
guidedbysciencestandardsadoptedbystategovernments.Butwhatifhomeschoolsandcharterschoolsleavepublic

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CEH:WhattheTrumpPresidencyCouldMeanforScience
schoolscienceeducationinthedust?WilltheDarwinlobbyretainthepowertodictatewhatteachersmustsayaboutorigins?
WillarenewalofreligiouslibertyempowerDarwinskepticstoarticulatetheirviewsmoreinpublic?
WecallonDarwinianstoenterthedebate.Theymaynotbeabletorestontheirpresumptiveauthoritymuchlonger.The
consensuscouldshiftintheneweraoftransparency(see10/31/16).Thisisnothingtofearforatruescientist.Anytheory
thathastorelyonconsensuslooksweak.IfDarwinianevolutionissolid,itcanwithstandscrutiny.Makeyourcase.Show
peopletheevidence.Giveityourbestshot.Goodluck.
ForscientistswhosupportedHillaryClinton,haveagoodcryforaday,thenthinkaboutthesepoints.Theresnoreasonto
fear.Thereseveryreasontoembracethefuture.IfAmericaisgreatagain,sciencewillbegreatagain.
DavidCoppedge,Editor
Natureletloosewithunmixedvenomalready.InapiecebyJeffTollefson,LaurenMorelloandSaraReardon,therag
presumestospeakforallsciencebysaying,DonaldTrumpsUSelectionwinstunsscientists.Scientists?What
scientists?Allscientists?Somescientists?GlobalistsocialistUKscientists?Comeon,thatsaveryunscientific
sample.Wefindoutrightawaywhattheymean:scientistswhopushglobalwarmingagendas.Oneobserverquoted
thinks,Chinacouldemergeasthegloballeaderonclimatechange.Wonderful.Morepowertothem.Sincethey
commitmostofthepollution,letthemcleanuptheiractfirst.Thenletthemkilltheireconomybylettingglobaliststell
themhowtoruntheircountry.
TheeditorialisalsounscientificbycallinghimthefirstantisciencepresidentasifTrumpisopposedtocapillary
action,gravityorDNA.GoodgriefthisoverthetophitpieceisaslapinthefacetothemillionsofAmericanswho
votedforhim.TheyquoteonlythemostviciousClintoniansandObamaniacs:Thisisterrifyingforscience,research,
education,andthefutureofourplanet,tweetsapostdocwhowantstogobacktoEuropeaftertheelection.Please
go,MaraEscuderoEscribano.Wellbuyyourticket.
NaturehadnoneofthegraceandhumilitythatTrumpshowedinhisacceptancespeech.EvenHillaryClintonwas
magnanimousindefeat,callingallcitizenstosupportTrumpandgivehimachancetosucceed.Naturewasnasty!
ThosepinkoglobalistmaterialistsneedtokeeptheirgrimysocialistclawsoutofAmericanpolitics.Theydonotspeak
forallscientists.IfsciencefundingsoarsinaroaringTrumpeconomy,wehopetheywillcometremblingbacklike
meeklittlekittens.Inthemeantime,aneducationaltouroftheirversionofutopiawoulddothemgood.Venezuela.

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