Snopes: How Unprecedented Is President Trumps Politicization of Science?
On 7 November 2017, Syria signed the Paris Climate Accord, making the United States the only country in the world to abstain the international agreement, which aims to reduce carbon emissions worldwide. The U.S. justified this move through the wholesale rejection of scientific evidence a strategy made overt when the White House largely downplayed the fact that a congressionally-mandated report meant to advise the President on global warming directly conflicted with their own view on topic.
It wasnt the first time that the administration was accused of ignoring science when it suited their policy goals. But how unusual is this presidents relationship to science? In this post, we evaluate Trumps actions in historical context to determine whats unprecedented, whats merely unusual, and what is simply par for the course in Washington.
To do this, we spoke with experts in science, law, and policy:
Michael Halpern, the deputy director of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Wendy Wagner, a Professor of Environmental Law and Science and Technology Law at the University of Texas Law School.
Steph Tai, a professor of Environmental Law at the University of Wisconsin Law School who worked as an appellate attorney in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice during the George W. Bush administration.
Barring Government-Funded Scientists from Serving on Panels Unprecedented
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Use of the Congressional Review Act To Rescind Regulations Without Scientific Review Unprecedented
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https://www.snopes.com/2017/11/15/trump-science-politicization/