Friday, August 19, 2005

The Republican War on Science

It's not news to anyone who has been watching, but Chris Mooney has apparently done a thorough job of documenting it. Here's the website, and here are some of the review extracts quoted there. (There's a cute animation of the book cover on the home page.)
"Each day's news adds to the disquiet of scientists: Science is regularly ignored in decision making at the highest levels of government, or worse, distorted in the service of Republican ideological allies in industry and among religious conservatives. But not until I saw the whole story laid out in Chris Mooney's thoroughly researched and documented book did I realize the enormity of what is happening. Reading this important book won't make you feel good, but it will make you wiser."
—Robert L. Park, author of Voodoo Science: The Road from Foolishness to Fraud

"Chris Mooney's examination of the right-wing assault on science is masterful. THE REPUBLICAN WAR ON SCIENCE is a must-read for those concerned about both protecting America's heritage of free scientific inquiry and maintaining our global competitive advantage."
—Rush Holt, U.S. Representative from New Jersey

"Chris Mooney has produced far more than another expose of political corruption. With meticulous reporting, he has documented a ferocious assault on the basic intellectual architecture of modern civilization. His book poses a profound warning about the sabotage of scientific integrity by dishonest ideologues and delusional fanatics."
—Ross Gelbspan, author of Boiling Point

"If left unchallenged, the Bush administration's deliberate misrepresentation and frequent outright disregard of science advisory processes will have serious consequences for the nation's economy, health and security. Chris Mooney has opened a window to reveal the extent of the anti-science bias in government policy making."
—Paul Berg, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry

"Chris Mooney doesn't beat around the bush in his well-documented roasting of those who would make a mockery of the processes and results of science. Read it and weep over the loss of reason among our leaders."
—John H. Gibbons, former director of the Federal Office of Energy Conservation, former director of the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment, and former Science Advisor to President Clinton

"Chris Mooney's thorough research into recent political efforts to distort and suppress scientifically grounded knowledge demonstrates that our nation is veering sharply from the path that enlightened men like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin envisioned for us."
—James J. McCarthy, Alexander Agassiz Professor of Biological Oceanography and Director, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University

"Under the Bush Administration, science has been repeatedly undermined for political and ideological ends, posing grave risks to health, safety, and the environment. Chris Mooney provides a careful indictment of this assault on science and traces its roots back to its ideological origins. This book provides critical context for the battle to restore scientific integrity to the federal government."
—Representative Henry A. Waxman

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