The first U.S. surgeon general appointed by President George W. Bush accused the administration on Tuesday of political interference and muzzling him on key issues like embryonic stem cell research."Anything that doesn't fit into the political appointees' ideological, theological or political agenda is ignored, marginalized or simply buried," Dr. Richard Carmona, who served as the nation's top doctor from 2002 until 2006, told a House of Representatives committee.
Now, it's not like we didn't already know this. But this pretty much clinches it for any doubting Bills Rushes Thomases out there. Well, the more open-minded ones, anyway. Please go on, Dr. Carmona. Don't let me interrupt:
...there is nothing worse than ignoring science, or marginalizing the voice of science for reasons driven by changing political winds. The job of surgeon general is to be the doctor of the nation, not the doctor of a political party...
Sigh, I love a man who can say what's on his mind. Oops, spoke too soon:
Carmona said Bush administration political appointees censored his speeches...
Yeah, that can put a damper on getting vital info out. They shut him up on embryonic stem cell research, contraceptives and his "misgivings about the administration's embrace of "abstinence-only" sex education". About that stem cell thing:
"I was blocked at every turn. I was told the decision had already been made -- stand down, don't talk about it," he said.
That last part didn't sit well with me at all. My mom is in the final stages of Alzheimer's. The money quote:
Carmona said some of his predecessors told him, "We have never seen it as partisan, as malicious, as vindictive, as mean-spirited as it is today, and you clearly have worse than anyone's had."
10-4, roger wilco.
...a Senate committee is due to hold a hearing on Bush's nomination of Dr. James Holsinger as his successor...Gay rights activists and several leading Democrats have criticized Holsinger for what they see as "anti-gay" writings, but the White House has defended him as well qualified.
Well-qualified, my aspirin.
posted by GottaLaff @ 3:56 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
How many former Bush employees have said similar things? How many more books will have to be written?
I wrote a review on my site of a terrific book by Seth Shulman called "Undermining Science" which describes how in every policy area the Administration shuts down career professionals from speaking and researching honestly on topics that are the focus of their work. For example, if the NIH were to do research on the effectiveness of sex ed, that research would be vetted by the admin to make sure that only the parts that supported the president's policy were included and not those parts that were unsupportive.
In this administration, research is expected to confirm policy, not inform policy. It's one of the damaging and defining features of Bushism.
OhDave,
Well said, as usual.
I am going to go beat my head against the wall. It will certainly kill brain cells. I cannot believe that respected professionals will whore themselves like this.
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