316: The War on Science

Jul 9

With so much emphasis on global politics and the World Cup in recent weeks, we’re going to focus on the somewhat quieter but intensely important bureaucratic dismantling of expertise occurring in health and science.

First, Derek looks into a recent 412-page OMB proposal that hands political appointees veto power over federal science grants, effectively killing peer review, blocking research on health disparities, and walling off American scientists from the rest of the world. Matthew counters with Canada’s own corrosive behavior.

Then we dig into the contradiction of MAHA: the pro-health movement running cover for the EPA quietly approving new forever chemical pesticides mere days after the Supreme Court gutted Americans’ ability to sue Monsanto (by way of their parent company, Bayer). Again, there’s a Canadian parallel: Bill C-30 hands cabinet the power to override Health Canada’s own scientists and approve pesticides they’ve already ruled unsafe.

Finally, Julian removes gravity from the situation by covering congressional UAP hearings where unverified whistleblower claims about alien bodies and secret programs get treated with peer-reviewed science seriousness.

Only, as with everything else in Trump’s America, the science is thin and the theater, thick.