# Republicans: A War On Science and how you are letting them win **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 5, 2012, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856 "2012-10-05T22:39:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/1 "2012-10-05T22:39:06Z")
What does Todd Akin have in common with Paul Brown? Both are Republican members of the [House Science Committee](http://science.house.gov/). Akin famously bought into the beliefs of a man named Jack C. Willke: > [@](#): > > Willke is the oft-cited source of the theory that rape-related pregnancies are “rare.” The theory is sometimes used by antiabortion advocates to argue that abortion laws should not contain exceptions for pregnancies that result from rape or incest. > > Willke believes that trauma caused by violent rape causes a woman’s reproductive system to shut down. He presents this belief as fact in educational materials, including a book about abortion and a website called [abortionfacts.com](http://abortionfacts.com). > > [Los Angeles Times](http://articles.latimes.com/2012/aug/21/news/la-pn-doctor-behind-todd-akins-rape-theory-was-a-romney-surrogate-in-2007-20120821) Of course, scientists say that Willke is dead wrong: > [@](#): > > Dr. David Grimes, a clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, said he was shocked when he heard Akin’s original remarks. > > Grimes rejected the authority of Willke, a general practitioner, to make such statements. “He has no scientific credentials,” said Grimes, who serves on the editorial boards of several publications, including Obstetrics and Gynecology, Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey and the journal Contraception. > > “In medicine, opinions count only to the extent that they’re borne out or supported by evidence. No evidence at all supports Dr. Willke’s bizarre theories.” > > [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/21/health/rape-pregnancy/index.html) So Akin believes discredited pseudoscience to support an extremist agenda. And this is where Rep. Broun comes in: > [@](#): > > Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) tore into scientists as tools of the devil in a speech at the Liberty Baptist Church Sportsman’s Banquet last month. > > “All that stuff I was taught about evolution and embryology and the Big Bang Theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of Hell,” Broun said. “And it’s lies to try to keep me and all the folks who were taught that from understanding that they need a savior.” > > According to Broun, the scientific plot was primarily concerned with hiding the true age of the Earth. > > “You see, there are a lot of scientific data that I’ve found out as a scientist that actually show that this is really a young Earth,” he said. “I don’t believe that the Earth’s but about 9,000 years old. I believe it was created in six days as we know them. That’s what the Bible says.” > > “What I’ve come to learn is that it’s the manufacturer’s handbook, is what I call it,” he said. “It teaches us how to run our lives individually, how to run our families, how to run our churches. But it teaches us how to run all of public policy and everything in society. And that’s the reason as your congressman I hold the holy Bible as being the major directions to me of how I vote in Washington, D.C., and I’ll continue to do that.” > > [Talking Points Memo](http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/10/rep-paul-broun-r-ga-evolution-big-bang-lies-straight-from-the-pit-of-hell.php) I consider it unacceptable for a thinking person to espouse such ignorance… Let alone someone running for elected office… Let alone someone who wins that election… Let alone someone who becomes a part of the fucking Science Committee in the United States House Of Representatives!!! When you factor in Climate Change conspiracy theorists, those who say Fracking is just fine and dandy and hard-line stances on stem cell research you can forget the war on women. The Republicans agenda is a War On Science. But you know who else I hold accountable? Every single one of the Republicans on this board, which is supposed to be about eradicating ignorance, on supporting a party that embraces ignorance as part of their platform. You didn’t vote for those guys, you say? Well, are you voting for Romney? In 2007 presidential candidate Mitt Romney sought and won the endorsement of Dr. Willke. > [@](#): > > Hailing him as “The Father Of The Pro-Life Movement” and “an important surrogate for Governor Romney’s pro-life and pro-family agenda,” the Romney for President campaign in 2007 welcomed Willke’s endorsement. > > [The Atlantic](http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/08/romney-endorsed-by-praised-dr-john-willke-leading-proponent-of-idea-that-rape-lowers-pregnancy-risk/261358/) Hell, anti-science sentiments are in the Republican Platform itself: > [@](#): > > Addressing climate change and reducing demand for fossil fuels are out, and more neuroscience research and space science missions are in. Those shifts from 2008 are evident in the 2012 Republican Party Platform approved yesterday at the GOP’s national convention in Tampa, Florida. > > Climate change does a disappearing act. While the 2008 platform spent nearly two pages on “addressing climate change responsibly” and “reducing demand for fossil fuels” in order to cut emissions of greenhouse gases, the topics are barely mentioned in the current version. Also gone is the 2008 platform’s proposal for a government-sponsored “Climate Prize,” which would award millions of dollars to “scientists who solve the challenges of climate change.” > > Instead, the 2012 version emphasizes “taking advantage of all our American God-given resources” and the need to encourage greater domestic oil, gas, and coal development. The party opposes “any and all cap and trade legislation” that would create a system of tradable pollution permits designed to reduce industrial emissions of warming gases such as carbon dioxide. And it calls on Congress “to take quick action to prohibit the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] from moving forward with new greenhouse gas regulations that will harm the nation’s economy and threaten millions of jobs over the next quarter century.” > > [AAAS](http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/08/republican-party-platform-has-a-.html) How anyone who claims to be against ignorance would give approval to a party that flaunts their ignorance at every opportunity is a mystery. I don’t agree with every position that every Democrat takes and I am sure that some Lefties do on occasion embrace pseudoscience (such as the faux link between autism and vaccines but the likes of [Michelle Bachmann famously took up that cause](http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/michele-bachmann-an-anti-vaccine-wingnut/) as well) , but there is nothing about them that is remotely comparable to the anti-Science agenda on the right and how prevalent it is. It disgusts me. And it should disgust you. It affects the way I vote. And it should for you as well. But for many of you, it doesn’t. And that’s pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/2 "2012-10-05T22:43:49Z")
> [@Grimes](#): > > In medicine, opinions count only to the extent that they’re borne out or supported by evidence. No evidence at all supports Dr. Willke’s bizarre theories. This reminds me of the lengthy, legalese court opinions that are a courtly way of saying “this complaintant is completely and utterly insane and their arguments are complete BS.” If Grimes could have left out the word “bizarre”, it would have been a classic subtle “fuck off”. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/3 "2012-10-06T00:15:21Z")
Speaking as a scientist-in-training, science in this country is fucked. There’s no money anywhere. Funding was cut during the Bush year. Obama promised to increase it. It didn’t happen. Neither party is standing up for basic scientific research. We’re screwed. Every professional scientist I’ve spoken to is terrified for their own future, let alone their students’. Meanwhile, Sarah Palin is complaining that we’re studying fruit flies instead of curing Down syndrome, which amuses me, as I am studying fruit flies in an attempt to understand the processes that cause Down syndrome. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/4 "2012-10-06T00:18:02Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Speaking as a scientist-in-training, science in this country is fucked. There’s no money anywhere. Funding was cut during the Bush year. Obama promised to increase it. It didn’t happen. Neither party is standing up for basic scientific research. We’re screwed. Every professional scientist I’ve spoken to is terrified for their own future, let alone their students’. > > Meanwhile, Sarah Palin is complaining that we’re studying fruit flies instead of curing Down syndrome, which amuses me, as I am studying fruit flies in an attempt to understand the processes that cause Down syndrome. I don’t know if I’d say that both sides aren’t standing up. Funding would be there is the Republicans didn’t obstruct it. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/5 "2012-10-06T01:02:24Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Speaking as a scientist-in-training, science in this country is fucked. There’s no money anywhere. Funding was cut during the Bush year. Obama promised to increase it. It didn’t happen. Neither party is standing up for basic scientific research. We’re screwed. Every professional scientist I’ve spoken to is terrified for their own future, let alone their students’. > > Meanwhile, Sarah Palin is complaining that we’re studying fruit flies instead of curing Down syndrome, which amuses me, as I am studying fruit flies in an attempt to understand the processes that cause Down syndrome. You need to say studying fruit flies will lead to better weapons. **Excellent pitting by the OP.** ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/6 "2012-10-06T04:22:40Z")
I definitely agree with the OP. I was in the second grade when Russia launched Sputnik. The fact that the Russians were first in space pretty much scared everybody in the United States. To think that a bunch of ignorant peasants could send _anything_ into orbit dramatically changed our priorities. Accordingly, US education was radically changed with a much-increased emphasis on math and science. Now, 55 yeas later, it seems the mentality has become “it’s hip to be stupid”. It seems the OP left out yet another “weapon” in the War on Science: Creationism (aka Intelligent Design). ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/7 "2012-10-06T04:48:13Z")
One question I never hear asked of these guys (not just those in the OP but any like them) is what level of evidence do they require to be convinced of something? I would really, really like to hear that answer. I mean, in theory, we all have a threshold that we need people to get past to buy into what they are saying to us. It may be different for different people and/or different for different kinds of claims but nevertheless there has to be some point at which you would consider even the most outrageous of claims to be true if enough proof was put before you. If someone you know says they saw aliens from outer space you would be (rightly) dubious. If they showed you a blurry photo of it they took on their iPhone you would still probably be doubtful. If they had a friend back them up you might think some scam is being pulled. But eventually, if they produce the alien and it walks up to you then I think you would be pretty convinced. If the alien allowed you to draw blood and you sent it in for testing and it came back as “alien” I would think you would be very convinced. My point being is that for any claim there has to be a point at which you think there is sufficient evidence to back up that claim. If these jokers cannot state where that line is for them then they prove themselves to be the close minded people they really are. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/8 "2012-10-06T05:07:05Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > One question I never hear asked of these guys (not just those in the OP but any like them) is what level of evidence do they require to be convinced of something? > > I would really, really like to hear that answer. > > I mean, in theory, we all have a threshold that we need people to get past to buy into what they are saying to us. It may be different for different people and/or different for different kinds of claims but nevertheless there has to be some point at which you would consider even the most outrageous of claims to be true if enough proof was put before you. > > If someone you know says they saw aliens from outer space you would be (rightly) dubious. If they showed you a blurry photo of it they took on their iPhone you would still probably be doubtful. If they had a friend back them up you might think some scam is being pulled. But eventually, if they produce the alien and it walks up to you then I think you would be pretty convinced. If the alien allowed you to draw blood and you sent it in for testing and it came back as “alien” I would think you would be very convinced. > > My point being is that for any claim there has to be a point at which you think there is sufficient evidence to back up that claim. > > If these jokers cannot state where that line is for them then they prove themselves to be the close minded people they really are. Does Mars have long form birth certificates? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/9 "2012-10-06T06:25:54Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Speaking as a scientist-in-training, science in this country is fucked. There’s no money anywhere. Funding was cut during the Bush year. Obama promised to increase it. It didn’t happen. Neither party is standing up for basic scientific research. We’re screwed. Every professional scientist I’ve spoken to is terrified for their own future, let alone their students’. You are right. I used to review proposals for NSF - real proposals that added to knowledge and in my field were very practical. Then they dried up and got moved to reviewing grants for small businesses who were asking for money to commercialize inventions - something Congress dreamed up to make NSF useful for the people giving them money. I did it because the gummint flew me to where I could visit my daughter and because I could argue against giving money to companies who did nothing except apply for grants. Finally they wanted me to lead reviews in an area I knew nothing about. I told them that I didn’t want to do that, and they got very huffy and I never got invited back. And we wonder why we are losing ground. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/10 "2012-10-06T07:23:58Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > **Excellent pitting by the OP.** I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/11 "2012-10-06T07:46:57Z")
I’ve posted before that I think that people who claim to be religious should NOT have the right to vote, let alone hold any elected office. Thing is, I honestly DO NOT believe ANY politician to really be religious. If they show for Sunday services, it’s only for show. And I fully agree that it is a war on science. Wasn’t it Kentucky or Kansas whose students were failing science on standardized tests who eliminated the evolution questions so the kids could pass?? All for the “holy contributions” the pols acquire for their campaign fund. And I’ll even admit that if Pussyfoot Mittens denied the support from that guy who inspired Todd Aiken and Broun to spout off religious bullshit that was only hypocritical to their own beliefs, I’d feel a little respect for about three seconds. We have got to put and end to religious freedom in this country. Go to the fucking holy land, and when the bomb drops, when the bullet stings, when your feeeeeling saaaad, just simply remember religion is shit and then you won’t feeeeeel soooo baaaaaad! 😃 (Had to reformat that stupid film in post today, so it’s stuck in me.) ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/12 "2012-10-06T10:37:18Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Meanwhile, Sarah Palin is complaining that we’re studying fruit flies instead of curing Down syndrome, which amuses me, as I am studying fruit flies in an attempt to understand the processes that cause Down syndrome. What does a fruit fly with Down syndrome look like ? ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/13 "2012-10-06T11:04:30Z")
And, yes, as others post, fantastically written pitting for the OP. I’m guessing this might turn into a BBQ Debate. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/14 "2012-10-06T11:06:20Z")
and this is why my voting record makes me look like a democrat. I agree with several posters above, nice OP ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/15 "2012-10-06T11:07:32Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > I don’t know if I’d say that both sides aren’t standing up. Funding would be there is the Republicans didn’t obstruct it. I seem to recall there being two years or so not long ago when Democrats controlled the White House and both houses of Congress. What was done about it? Fuck all. The Republicans will keep slashing all they can. The Democrats won’t do anything about it other than roll over and let it happen. As always, the election is down to a choice between incompetent and evil. I’m sick of it. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/16 "2012-10-06T11:25:54Z")
> [@](#): > > we wonder why we are losing ground bottom line, other countries will continue to pull ahead and leave us in their dust. at least, I hope so, for the sake of the species. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/17 "2012-10-06T13:30:16Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > I’ve posted before that I think that people who claim to be religious should NOT have the right to vote, let alone hold any elected office. I don’t necessarily agree with that. There have been religious men and women in leading positions in our government for a long, long time, and to my knowledge, most of them don’t or didn’t generally let their religious beliefs influence their judgement on policy. Many of them, especially amongst the founders, recognized the potential problem with introducing God into legislation and shied away from it, neatly separating their personal beliefs with what was best for our nation. Now, granted, this douchebag from Georgia in the OP is a whackjob and should be roundly censured and kicked out of office for spouting such ignorance. It does seem like there are more people like this in government, and yes, many of them are Republicans. But I refuse to broad brush the entire party because of the actions or words of some. Anymore the only things I agree with the Republican platform anymore are a strong military, less intrusive government (which is nothing more than an ideal for _either_ party these days) and…I guess that’s about it. Oh, and pro-small business, but I think both parties are for that. But yeah, guys like the Congressman in the OP are fucking scary. There’s no way I can vote for people that believe as they do, and I actually believe in God, but not to the extent of stupidly eschewing well researched factual scientific information, or to block research that can benefit humanity in some way. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/18 "2012-10-06T14:14:29Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > I’ve posted before that I think that people who claim to be religious should NOT have the right to vote, let alone hold any elected office. maybe a better solution is to not allow the legislative body to micromanage the government. the executive branch is tasked with administering the government. hopefully they find people competent in their field to work in particular agencies. these agencies then have dozens and hundreds of people administering programs; that is lots of heads with many ideas which eventually becomes focused on a goal. the legislature has single people authoring bills or on committees. these single people get campaign contributions, often from out of their district by professional lobbyists, that they use to get reelected. in the legislature ‘one hand washes the other’ so they all cooperate with each other in allowing the other guy to take the [del]bribe[/del] contribution. so if you’ve been lobbied by the wallpaper industry, then you might have funding legislation for an agency that prohibits any money being spent on paint, even though paint might do a better job. (this is an single example knowing that it is imperfect in detail but just to supply an illustration of concept). ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/19 "2012-10-06T14:20:56Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Obama promised to increase it. It didn’t happen. Perhaps not on a recurring basis, but ARRA had massive (temporary) increases in funding for the NSF and the NIH, and established ARPA-E (which is still around). ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856/20 "2012-10-06T14:29:08Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > You are right. I used to review proposals for NSF - real proposals that added to knowledge and in my field were very practical. Then they dried up and got moved to reviewing grants for small businesses who were asking for money to commercialize inventions - something Congress dreamed up to make NSF useful for the people giving them money. I did it because the gummint flew me to where I could visit my daughter and because I could argue against giving money to companies who did nothing except apply for grants. > Finally they wanted me to lead reviews in an area I knew nothing about. I told them that I didn’t want to do that, and they got very huffy and I never got invited back. > And we wonder why we are losing ground. Now my father is doing this job. He is a very intelligent man, but he is reviewing proposals for the NSF _because of his business experience_. He is science-friendly and his business experience sometimes involves products that are closely tied to actual scientists, but you could not call him a scientist. On the one hand, I’m proud of him, but on the other hand, I think, “what the hell?” I would much rather see science grants determined by scientists and ONLY scientists, and if the business community wants to help, perhaps they can come in at a later stage. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-a-war-on-science-and-how-you-are-letting-them-win/636856.md?page=2)