I saw Chris Mooney speak last night and I was disappointed in the talk but my guess is the book would be better.
He was "interviewed" by a very left wing (but not particularly knowledgable) host in front of a anti-Bush crowd. The format prevented Mooney from give much more than superficial comments. Mooney was the most conservative speaker there saying claims that global warming was responsible for Katrine or that No Child Left Behind was killing science in the US are simply not supported by any evidence.
He has a strong pro-science bias and moderate left wing bias. He appeared to be reasonably knowledgable and I think the book would be an interesting read but I personally am not willing to pay the money for it. I will put it on reserve at my library.
There were a few things I learned. In 1995, the Gingrich led congress abolished the Office of Technology Assessment which was a bipartisan scientific organization that advised congress. Mooney claims it was because the OTA produced reports that Republican did not like e.g. global warming was real.
With the dissolution of the OTA, it became easier for politicians to cherry pick data to suit their political viewpoints. In other words, a politician could ignore scientific consensus by siting the 5 or 10% that dispute it.
In addition he blamed the media for being "unbiased" by presenting both sides of arguments as being equal in Creationism or Global Warming debates.
CBL
He was "interviewed" by a very left wing (but not particularly knowledgable) host in front of a anti-Bush crowd. The format prevented Mooney from give much more than superficial comments. Mooney was the most conservative speaker there saying claims that global warming was responsible for Katrine or that No Child Left Behind was killing science in the US are simply not supported by any evidence.
He has a strong pro-science bias and moderate left wing bias. He appeared to be reasonably knowledgable and I think the book would be an interesting read but I personally am not willing to pay the money for it. I will put it on reserve at my library.
There were a few things I learned. In 1995, the Gingrich led congress abolished the Office of Technology Assessment which was a bipartisan scientific organization that advised congress. Mooney claims it was because the OTA produced reports that Republican did not like e.g. global warming was real.
With the dissolution of the OTA, it became easier for politicians to cherry pick data to suit their political viewpoints. In other words, a politician could ignore scientific consensus by siting the 5 or 10% that dispute it.
In addition he blamed the media for being "unbiased" by presenting both sides of arguments as being equal in Creationism or Global Warming debates.
CBL