GOP So Mad Someone's Doing Science On Crazy Internet Trolls
A group of meddling congressional Democrats is planning to stick up for science in the House chamber this afternoon -- but don't worry, their post-enlightenment nonsense won't be tolerated.
The action comes in response to the Secret Science Reform Act of 2014, sponsored by Arizona Rep. David Rep. Schweikert, which heads to the floor today. That bill is pretty much exactly as ridiculous as you would expect of a piece of Republican legislation with that name. You see, in right wing circles it is well known that most “peer-reviewed science” falls apart if exposed to the scrutiny of anonymous Internet trolls. Thus, this bill would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from basing any action on review by these secret “scientists,” until all their data has been released publicly for the tin foil wearers to properly examine.
In many cases, such public disclosure is impossible because of privacy laws, but hey, tough luck for the EPA. And, for people who like to breathe, or drink water, or whatnot.
I can report EXCLUSIVELY FOR WONKETTE that handsome young Joe Kennedy III, who has to sit through hearings on this kind of idiocy as a member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, intends to offer an amendment this afternoon, with the backing of a number of his fellow Democrats. The change would, essentially, reaffirm that when all else fails, the EPA could rely a little bit on peer-reviewed scientific literature to inform its decisions about, you know, science.
My impression is that the Republican majority will dispose of such heresy, although it is unclear whether Galileo-level punishment will be ordered for Kennedy.
Update 1: 20 p.m.:You can watch the floor debate now on the SPAN.
Weird, your average wingnut troll can't even be bothered to check the factual basis of things he read on FOX, Daily Caller, or DrudgeReport.
But of course, nothing can be done at the EPA until a random wingdoodle does some "independent analysis and substantial reproduction of research results" or something. Plus, that kind of "Science" is absolutely cost-free and can be done by your average schmoe with shit you can find at Home Depot.
It's not specific how "transparent" this data/sciency shit has to be, in order to meet the bill's requirements because, you know, uh, "reasons." About 20G's apiece worth of "reasons" by the Koch Bros, Freedom Project, and Citizens United, dropped into his campaign coffers.
So surprisingly, there is a 2:1 difference between energy company lobbyists and those working for universities or science-related groups lobbying this bill. Of course it's the dirty scientists who are totally there to make sure that lies from the pit of Hell keep getting all that big $$ grant mo-nay to say things like "pollution is bad" or "methyl mercaptans are deadly, don't put them into your lungs."
More of that quality Republican "Governance:" where you block shit up any way possible. Good Job, America. You deserve it.
Have the Republicans realized that under current law, the EPA considers "secret" "science" "studies" from the oil industry asserting safety when deciding that fuck yeah they can pump whatever random shit they want into the ground as long as they remember please to call it "fracking"?