Saturday, November 19, 2016

Trump's anti-science transition team and some implications

On this blog, we have discussed Myron 'Evil Bastard' Ebell already, but how about science and the scientific community generally? I filled out the Nature US election result survey as scientists not only in the US but around the globe are stunned and most likely saddened by the outcome of the US presidential election. I filled the survey out as both a computational physicist and as a working naturalist, albeit sans a biology degree. I was interested in everything while at Uni., and if anything my promiscuous interests have only grown since. They grow even now.

With the sale of my computer services business I have little in the way of financial worries, but that only sharpens my skepticism for anything that could jeopardize the future of scientific funding; and funding for climate change science most acutely. I am not in the habit of cutting large pieces out of articles to fill up what should be internalized, processed and restated data. Anyone can do that; and most bloggers do this very thing.

Sorry about that minor but vital digression :)

NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies chief Gavin Schmidt has not stated that he will resign if the Trump administration takes the most vile stance on climate change as many conservative news outlets have asserted. Reading comprehension is not a prerequisite for journalism, yellow or not. Of course there is lots of uncertainty.

If Trump nixes funding for climate change research and the US goes on to burn more fossil fuels as it now seems likely under a Trump administration, never again will the phrase, "It's the economy, stupid" have any weight. At NASA, there will likely be a brain drain as climate scientists - and other scientists as well - move to other countries that are not antithetical to the pursuit of knowledge. That is really what this comes down to; the US' anti-intellectualism is likely to have major blowback. CERN and the Large Hardron Collider aren't here, folks. The Chinese are committed to particle physics, while we have to rent time.

That was too much of a wrap-up in the body of a document. I don't outline these things. They are simply a stream of consciousness that usually is of an A, C, B, F, D style. If this blog ever gets any readers, I will compose posts in tighter logical progression. at least it is all original stuff ;)

Since I mentioned brain drain in the above ramble, here are the results of a brain drain poll conducted just after Trump's victory was announced. Trump had been amenable to keeping STEM graduates here via the H-1B program but it appears that Trump's new brain, Steve Bannon, is diametrically opposed to this position. This article was posted on 22 Aug. 2016. Why this wasn't reported is simply another reminder that the US press is a non-functioning arm of the checks to power.

More fear and loathing in Marakkech. I wish I was as hopeful as Erik Solheim who is quoted as saying:

"Trump’s pragmatism and business sense was likely to score over ideology. “It’s clear there is uncertainty because of some of the statements made before the election. But I am certain we have crossed the Rubicon. There is no way back on climate change.”"
With Ebell heading the EPA transition team, I am really sour on anything good happening at the federal level.

Then there is this from some of the faculty at Harvard.

Here's the quick response from the AAAS. I should point out here that one can join the AAAS and receive the journal Science as a free perk. Memberships start at $50/year..and if you opt into my scheme below, you'll be helping out in one of the best armchair ways!

Newsweek magazine asks: TRUMP: THE MOST ANTI-SCIENCE PRESIDENT EVER? Sorry about the all upper case. NEWSWEEK seems to be thrilled with the format :)

There has been much said about why Trump won. After trying to distill all of the reasons given which entailed accepting some things, and rejecting others, one set of traits fits both the Trump demographic of voters, and the Red states. This piece seems to best mirror the Trump voters I have witnessed online. In my ivory tower(a joke, folks) I do not know any admitted Trump supporters. The one person that I know that overtly supported Trump is a paranoid schizophrenic..not joking. He claimed that, "But Todd, he's bringing back jobs." This is simply not going to happen. Capital for production flows to where the cost of production is the least. Slap big tariffs on Chinese and Mexican goods, and other Asian and New World countries will become the centers of production. The immediate effect will be much higher prices for goods and a likely contraction of the US economy.

Ick. Enough armchair economics.

What can the US citizen do to counteract any Trumpian moves to defund science and other programs they deem worthy? My answer is both powerful and scary for the average person.

I am going to propose something radical here, and that is this; if you care about science funding and an inhabitable earth, take 25% of your federal income tax due, and directly fund the science organizations of your choice. I am going to call this 25 for Science. This will only work if it results in mass tax protests, so there has to high levels of participation. I am also going to implore that any other programs, or basket of programs, that get reduced funding or no funding under the Trump administration also get the 25 for x treatment. If large enough swaths of the populace do this, then enforcement of taxes due become untenable. Lots of people are not ready to truly govern themselves, and this is but a start, but the 25 for programs will surely shake the foundations(no pun intended). Do not forget the NGOs, as they too will need bolstering. I give 3% of all income to The Nature Conservancy, and do pro bono work for statewide programs. Every bit helps.

Lest you think my proposal too extreme, the future of the planet may be at stake; and hey, at least your money won't be going to these guys.

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