Breaking News: Scientists Say They're Being Gagged by Bush

[Imagevision]

Washington - Scientists doing climate research for the federal government say the Bush administration has made it hard for them to speak forthrightly to the public about global warming. The result, the researchers say, is a danger that Americans are not getting the full story on how the climate is changing.

These scientists - working nationwide in research centers in such places as Princeton, N.J., and Boulder, Colo. - say they are required to clear all media requests with administration officials, something they did not have to do until the summer of 2004. Before then, climate researchers - unlike staff members in the Justice or State departments, which have long-standing policies restricting access to reporters - were relatively free to discuss their findings without strict agency oversight.

"There has been a change in how we're expected to interact with the press," said Pieter Tans, who measures greenhouse gases linked to global warming and has worked at NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory in Boulder for two decades. He said that although he often "ignores the rules" the administration has instituted, when it comes to his colleagues, "some people feel intimidated - I see that."
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/041706F.shtml

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. I can see it now

Bush goes on the teevee (Fox, natch) wearing shorts and a tank top this December, saying, "This is my Christmas wish for you.....there is no global warming, this is merely another service presented to the 'Merkan people so that they can have cookouts on Dec. 15!"

[converted_democrat]

3. I know it's not a funny situation, but I have to say, that made me laugh

pretty hard.. The scary part is that you're probably right..

[malaise]

2. Why would scientists allow Bush to

muzzle them?

[babylonsister]

5. They work for the federal government, who pays their wages.

I guess if they want to get paid, making a stink risks said paycheck.

[wishlist]

6. Either being paid off for silence or afraid of losing positions/grants n/t

[Jeanette in FL]

7. Perhaps, it has to do with all the deaths of microbiologist

over the past few years. I don't know what the latest figure is but it was up to over 40, most of whom were working on bio-weapons.

I don't know why they should allow this bully to keep them quiet. Actually, the more they talk, they safer they become.

[fooj]

19. Over 40? OMG!!!!!!!!!

:scared:

[malaise]

27. That is serious

Damn.

[Imagevision]

4. Rumor has it that Bush says no to changing air-polluting laws

for US. refineries because it would effect the economy. Hope the green-house thing has nothing to do with unusual amount of powerful storms in the past two years??

[dysfunctional press]

8. i always hate the "effect the economy" excuse...

what- they don't think that global warming will "effect the economy"...?

btw- putting money into alternative energy research would also probably "effect the economy"- in a GOOD way...with growth and jobs that pay a living wage.

[Canuckistanian]

16. Unfortunately, that's become the CW

Somehow, doing anything to reduce greenhouse gases is "bad for the economy". They maek it sound like all industries will have to shut down, we'll have to stop driving cars or have to pay exorbitant energy costs.

In fact, it would take so little effort, just a rethinking of what we're already doing. Stop the waste, stop the frivolous uses of energy, look for alternatives - it's not radical, just pragmatic.

[lonestarnot]

9. SO THE FUCK AM I!

:puke:

[DemReadingDU]

10. There wa something about this on 60 Minutes

in March 2006, with James Hansen

[Beaverhausen]

11. This is hardly breaking news. This has been going on for years

The MSM is just finally picking up on it.

[MuseRider]

12. That headline...

he makes me gag too.

I know it isn't funny, not at all but when I first read that I thought, of course he gags them, I gag everytime I hear the man.

[lonestarnot]

13. LOL, I know it wasn't funny either, but I had to.

[MuseRider]

15. I am feeling too perverse

today for company. I have a meeting to prepare for so I will stop with my silliness right now but I am glad to know I was not the only one who just has to take days to laugh at the disgusting state of affairs we find ourselves in. :hi:

I will be better tomorrow.

[lonestarnot]

22. Not to worry. Tomorrow is another day. See you then.

:hi:

[electron_blue]

14. Okay, so call me slow, I now see why Santorum wants to get rid of NWS

so he and others can control the information about the weather that the masses get.

[geniph]

17. Yeah, that fucker makes ME gag, too

All kidding aside, when do we rise up in protest about these assholes trying to build that bridge to the 15th century? I expect the witch-burnings to start any day now.

[paparush]

18. 60 minutes did a piece on this...Sierra has covered this story..

Bush** et al either:
1. Ignore the Science.
2. Re-Write the science.
3. Stopped requesting reports that contained science.
4. Gagged the scientists.
5. All of the Above.

[Seabiscuit]

20. That's "news"??? What's new about it?

[BrklynLiberal]

25. That was my first reaction.

[BooScout]

21. It's not just the scientists....

There are scientists all over the world filing reports on global warming and the destruction of the environment. The MSM in America is simply not giving it the coverage. Once we moved to the UK I figured that out pretty quickly. It's consistently in the news in the UK and it's ain't looking too good folks.

[Delphinus]

28. The UK has been right out in front

with many of the latest ecological news stories. When I asked one of our Democratic contenders for the House a question about Global Climate Change, I quoted one of the UK papers.

[lonestarnot]

23. "amounts to a "pocket veto" allowing administration officials to block

interviews by not giving permission in time for journalists' deadlines." He's playing pocket pool again.

[pat_k]

24. "Theocons" "Theocrats" = Labels that evoke the repugnant. . .

. . .nature of what we are contending with by connecting "theocracy" with the horrible consequences of permitting the neocon empire builders to infiltrate and dominate our government. ("Beware of false prophets. . . By their fruits you will know them." Matthew 7:15-20)

Rev. Neuhaus often misses the mark, but I loved it when he used the terms "theocon" and "theocrat" on Meet the Press this week.

Haven't come across the terms before, but they are terms we should be using. They convey a core truth about the reactionary-christianist-right. Whether monarchy, theocracy, or military dictatorship, it's all fascism -- the belief that a faction has the right to absolute rule.

[Hubert Flottz]

26. That's the same reaction I've always had to ace and his Daddy...

both. The GOPers Ace in the hole, even makes half the repig party puke too. Their pig is all the way out of the poke now and they all think he's crazy too now. First American pResident to come unglued in the head, in front of the entire world. It would have been different if he's really been the president that the people had REALLY elected. His administration was a constitutional aberration created by 5 people, from the first day. People who controlled the highest court in the nation made a flawed, biased, unfair, political decision and stopped the recounts in Florida.

So we see by the Supreme Court decision in Bush vs Gore, that GOP political partisanship controlled the highest Federal Court back then. They gladly and quickly gave Bush the control of the office of president. Diebold/DeLay and the swift boat type political terrorist's dirty politics in 2002, gave bush total control of the government, when the GOP won control of the legislative branch too. How can the GOP blame anyone for their blundering stupidity besides the GOP? * * * * ***** They BROKE IT!