Top Doc says he was muzzled in Bush's War on Science
I'm shocked .. shocked to discover that decisions about public health are based on politics and theology, not science .. that the White House manipulates non-partisan government agencies for political gain!
From The New York Times: WASHINGTON, July 10 — Former Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona told a Congressional committee today that top officials in the Bush administration repeatedly tried to weaken or suppress important public health reports because of political considerations.
....said White House officials would not allow him to speak or issue reports about stem cells, emergency contraception, sex education, or prison, mental and global health issues because of political concerns. Top administration officials delayed for years and attempted to “water down” a landmark report on secondhand tobacco smoke, he said in sworn testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.[..]"
Gah! Sitting on important information about secondhand tobacco smoke! How bad does it have to get before the media does its job!
This cuts to the bone of the need for our government to collect, analyse and dispense medical and public health information without political intervention.
It's sure a slam dunk indictment of the Bushies -- putting politics, ideology and theology over hard science.
But are we really surprised? No .. this is the way Bushies do business. They tell you to shut up and fall in line. Screw science and what's best for America .. just carry out the GOP agenda.
Regardless of the source of the scientific fact .. regardless of the scientific backing behind the fact .. it will be twisted and spun until it fits the needs of the Bush White House.
And hating the Special Olympics just because the Kennedys are involved?! How partisan and depraved can you be to try and stop someone from lending a helping hand to handicapped children?
And talk about a ‘Dear Leader’ administration .. I had to smile at the need to mention Bush three times on every page of every speech.
Okay, okay .. to be fair, Surgeons General C. Everett Koop and David Satcher, who served in the Reagan and Clinton administrations, also complained about political interference on issues such as sexuality or drug use. The Reagan administration didn't want Koop to even discuss the AIDS crisis. He did so anyway.
BUT .. Carmona said his predecessors told him they'd never seen it as partisan, as malicious, as vindictive, as mean-spirited as it is today.
Yep .. a perfect description of what the George W. Bush administration has brought to our White House.
Aside: On the same day these former Surgeons General were blabbing to Congress about the politicization of their office by the White House, China executed the former head of its food and drug organization for approving untested drugs in exchange for cash ...
Wow .. Executed!
... in the US he'd just be fired .. then become a lobbyist .. after Bush gave him a medal of course.
