Trump Advisor Turns Anti-Science Dial To 11"

[Shiranu]

http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2016/12/16/trump_advisor_anthony_scaramucci_anti_science_interview_on_cnn.html

Let’s start at the beginning. The first thing Scaramucci does is downplay the attempt to get scientists’ names, saying it’s “an intellectual curiosity expedition” and then pivots into wanting to provide Americans with clean air.


...

And it goes on. Cuomo expresses again (at the 1:10 mark) his concern about Trump wanting the names of scientists, and Scaramucci deflects a second time, veering the discussion to the existence of global warming itself.

This is where Scaramucci really steps off the path of reality and starts the fire hose of disinformation. Scaramucci continues (1:40)*:


"There are scientists that believe that that's not happening."

He then makes this ridiculous statement (1:54):

"…there was an overwhelming science that the Earth was flat. And there was an overwhelming science that we were the center of the world. A hundred percent, you know, we get a lot of things wrong in the scientific community. You and I both know that. I'm not suggesting that we're not affecting the change. I honestly don't know, I'm not a scientist."

CUOMO: But you don't accept the science. Let me just move on to something else, though, which isâ€"

SCARAMUCCI: I didn't say that. I said I’m not certain about itâ€"


CUOMO (talking simultaneously): You said you don't know. I'm saying the scientific community does.

SCARAMUCCI: But you're saying that you do, and you're saying the scientific community knows, and I'm saying people have gotten things wrong throughout the 5,500-year history of our planet.

CUOMO (simultaneously): I think you have to distingusihh between predictions and the fundamental proposition.

SCARAMUCCI (simultaneously, corrrecting his last statement): Human history, I should say.

Is it still too early to complain about Trump?

[SGOS]

I'm trying not to complain, but things are not looking good.  If Trump puts together a science committee composed of 12 members who say climate change is not real, it will underscore the unreliability of our political leadership.  There is nothing new here of course.  Politics has always been an unreliable substitute for reality.  But dissing science is a silly thing to do.

And let's face it.  Global warming denial is not about science being right or wrong.  It's about kicking the can down the road.  It's about protecting the fossil fuel industry and the other most harmful sources of pollution.  It's entirely political for the benefit of the big players.  There's nothing new there either.  It's the way the game is played.  Feed the voters bullshit and get them to come around to giving into the needs of the powerful.  Take tax breaks.  They benefit everyone, right?  A tax break for me buys me and a friend a dinner at the Olive Garden.  A CEO gets a new Jet, a yacht, and opens a new account at another Swiss Bank.

[widdershins]

I'm trying not to complain, but things are not looking good.  If Trump puts together a science committee composed of 12 members who say climate change is not real, it will underscore the unreliability of our political leadership.  There is nothing new here of course.  Politics has always been an unreliable substitute for reality.  But dissing science is a silly thing to do.

And let's face it.  Global warming denial is not about science being right or wrong.  It's about kicking the can down the road.  It's about protecting the fossil fuel industry and the other most harmful sources of pollution.  It's entirely political for the benefit of the big players.  There's nothing new there either.  It's the way the game is played.  Feed the voters bullshit and get them to come around to giving into the needs of the powerful.  Take tax breaks.  They benefit everyone, right?  A tax break for me buys me and a friend a dinner at the Olive Garden.  A CEO gets a new Jet, a yacht, and opens a new account at another Swiss Bank.

Look at the bright side.  If we finally go too far, Texas will likely be one of the first places to go...

[Unbeliever]

But dissing science is a silly thing to do.

Yeah, even a major Christian theologian knew that:

Often a non-Christian knows something about the earth, the heavens, and the other parts of the world, about the motions and orbits of the stars and even their sizes and distances,... and this knowledge he holds with certainty from reason and experience. It is thus offensive and disgraceful for an unbeliever to hear a Christian talk nonsense about such things, claiming that what he is saying is based in Scripture. We should do all that we can to avoid such an embarrassing situation, which people see as ignorance in the Christian and laugh to scorn.

[Baruch]

Augustine of Hippo though is innumerate:

“The good Christian should beware of mathematicians. The danger already exists that mathematicians have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and confine man in the bonds of Hell.”

Back then ... the only higher mathematics employment was as an astrologer however.  Which technically, is what Copernicus and Kepler did for a living.

[Unbeliever]

Augustine of Hippo though is innumerate:

“The good Christian should beware of mathematicians. The danger already exists that mathematicians have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and confine man in the bonds of Hell.”

Back then ... the only higher mathematics employment was as an astrologer however.  Which technically, is what Copernicus and Kepler did for a living.

I guess that's why mathematicians can't win a Nobel Prize...



(not really)

[Baruch]

I guess that's why mathematicians can't win a Nobel Prize...



(not really)

They have the Fields medal.

Today mathematicians are devils ... they calculate the actuary table to tell when you die.  This used to take the Three Fates, a thread and a pair of scissors.

[Hydra009]

Let’s start at the beginning. The first thing Scaramucci does is downplay the attempt to get scientists’ names, saying it’s “an intellectual curiosity expedition” and then pivots into wanting to provide Americans with clean air.

He probably just wanted all their names so he could give them raises for their good work.  Not as a prelude for something sinister.

You liberals and your conspiracy theories.  Now lemme tell ya about how global warming is a chinese hoax and vaccines cause autism.

[Baruch]

You can give up your car, heat and lights first ... show us what a carbon hero you are ;-)

[Hydra009]

You can give up your car, heat and lights first ... show us what a carbon hero you are ;-)

Not that it's particularly relevant or any of your business, but I actually do practice what I preach.  I switched over to LED lights, opted for energy-efficient appliances, rarely run the heat or AC, etc.  I'm not exactly living in a cave, so obviously there's some power consumption, but I'm slightly more responsible than the people I see driving hummers.

And I don't do these things because I'm some bleeding heart liberal.  I'll be honest, I hate paying for waste.  Wasted gas, wasted electricity (and thus wasted coal), etc.  If I had the opportunity to install cheap and effective solar panels and never pay a dime for electricity again, do you think I'd say yes to that?  Fuck yes, I would.  And you probably would, too.  Because what kind of dumbass would want to pay extra for coal power?!

I'm not advocating cutting down emissions to save the planet.  The planet's going to be fine.  This is about saving people.  These coal/oil shills arguing that global warming isn't a thing are fundamentally no different than the tobacco lobby trying to dismiss the health problems associated with smoking.  They're essentially arguing that they don't care if you and yours suffer and die so long as they make a profit.  I'm not opposed to people making a buck, but goddamn, that's fucked up.  And the fact that these reprehensible pieces of garbage have a sympathetic ear at the highest echelons of power in the US is fucking scary.

[Shiranu]

You can give up your car, heat and lights first ... show us what a carbon hero you are ;-)

Basically what Hydra said... I drive a cheap, low-emission car (and want to switch over to a light motorcycle soon or a bicycle if I move into the city), we normally use windows instead of AC and for me at least I almost never have lights on (miss living in New Mexico, where there were roof lights). Also heavy on recycling, buying fair trade and eating as little meat as possible... gave up beef at least 10 years ago, partly for ethical reasons and partly because the tearing down of hundreds of thousands of rain forest for cattle farms is heavily damaging our ecosystem.

We live in a modern world and there is no avoiding some waste, but this is not the first time I have heard this train of thought ("Well, what are YOU doing to fix the problem?") and it is just dull. First off, who cares what I am doing? Do it for your own sake and for the sake of it just being the right thing... you shouldn't have to act like doing the right thing is some sort of chore. Second, this implication that people who care about the environment are just paying lip service really seems to have very little reality to it from my experience...

[Hydra009]

We live in a modern world and there is no avoiding some waste, but this is not the first time I have heard this train of thought ("Well, what are YOU doing to fix the problem?") and it is just dull.

It's irrelevant, that's what it is.  Even if everybody who professed to care about this issue turned out to be massive hypocrite, that doesn't make the problem go away.

You don't fix a housefire by denying that there's a fire, demanding to endlessly debate of the existence of this so-called fire on the grounds that the windows are cold to the touch, arguing that fires are sometimes good, and then finally sitting back and arguing that the firefighters aren't doing enough to fight the fire.

It's not just counterproductive, it's asinine.

[Cavebear]

I consider that Government does good things generally.  So when Trump nominates or assigns people to head government agencies or functions that they actively despise and want to destroy, that it not a good thing.

And this is not just a Trump practice.  The Republicans have been actively trying to destroy government for decades.  They are succeeding.  But they wouldn't be able to do it without general voter support. 

People are angry.  Angry people are not rational.  Non-rational people make poor decisions. 

Half the population is stupider than average.  And, apparently, they vote...

[Sorginak]

Republicans do not see it as "destroying the government" so much as maintaining the lifestyle of the one percent. 

In fact, there is no real difference between Democrats and Republicans, except how uneducated people prefer to view politics.

Both parties are supported and controlled by the same corporations in the end, no matter which party is elected. 

The minor differences between Democrats and Republicans do not matter in the end.

What matters is that people need to realize this system of government has to be changed; and the people do have the power to change it.  Unfortunately, it remains the same due to how lazy voters are.

[Cavebear]

Democratic Presidential candidates and Republican candidates are not the same.  Barrack Obama was a better choice than McCain or Romney; Clinton was a better choice than Trump. 

I liked McCain.  He is honorable and would have done his best.  But he is erratic.  Romney is honorable, but would have just given over government to the richest among us.  Obama is thoughtful and nuanced beyond McCain or Romney.

Clinton is so far beyond Trump's limited sickeningly laughable world-view as to be beyond competent reproach by comparison. 

We are in for at least 4 years of utter chaos.