FROM THE MAGAZINE

TheRealWaronScience
The Left has done far more than the Right to set back progress.

John Tierney

M yliberalfriendssometimesaskmewhyIdontdevotemoreofmyscience

journalismtothesinsoftheRight.Itsfinetoexposepseudoscienceontheleft,theysay,
butwhyarentyouanequalopportunitydebunker?Whynotwriteabout
conservativesthreattoscience?
Myfriendsdontlikemyanswer:becausethereisntmuchtowriteabout.
Conservativesjustdonthavethatmuchimpactonscience.Iknowthatsoundsstrange
toDemocratswhodecryRepublicancreationistsandcallthemselvesthepartyof
science.ButIvedonemyhomework.IvereadtheLeftsindictments,includingChris
Mooneysbestseller,TheRepublicanWaronScience.Ifinisheditwiththesamequestion
aboutthiswarthatIhadattheoutset:Wherearethecasualties?
Wherearethescientistswholosttheirjobsortheirfunding?Whatvitalresearchhas
beencorruptedorsuppressed?Whatscientificdebatehasbeensilenced?Yes,thebook
revealsthatRepublicancreationistsexist,buttheydontaffectthebiologistsor
anthropologistsstudyingevolution.Yes,GeorgeW.Bushrefusedfederalfundingfor
embryonicstemcellresearch,butthathardlyputastoptoit(andnotmuchchanged
afterBarackObamareversedthepolicy).Mooneyrailsatscientistsandpoliticianswho
opposegovernmentpoliciesfavoredbyprogressiveslikehimself,butifyourelooking
forseriousdamagetotheenterpriseofscience,heoffersonlythreeexamples.
Allthreeareinhisfirstchapter,duringMooneysbriefacknowledgmentthatleftists
hereandtherehavebeenguiltyofscienceabuse.First,therestheLeftsopposition
togeneticallymodifiedfoods,whichstifledresearchintowhatcouldhavebeena
secondGreenRevolutiontofeedAfrica.Second,theresthecampaignbyanimalrights

activistsagainstmedicalresearchers,whoseworkhasalreadybeenhamperedand
wouldbedevastatediftheactivistssucceededinbanninganimalexperimentation.
Third,therestheresistanceinacademiatostudyingthegeneticunderpinningsof
humanbehavior,whichhascutoffmanysocialscientistsfromtherecentrevolutionsin
geneticsandneuroscience.Eachoftheseabusesisfarmoresignificantthananything
donebyconservatives,andthereareplentyofothers.Theonlysuccessfulwaron
scienceistheonewagedbytheLeft.
ThedangerfromtheLeftdoesnotarisefromstupidityordishonesty;thosefailingsare
bipartisan.SomesurveysshowthatRepublicans,particularlylibertarians,aremore
scientificallyliteratethanDemocrats,buttheresplentyofignoranceallaround.Both
sidescherrypickresearchandmisrepresentevidencetosupporttheiragendas.
Whoeversinpower,theWhiteHouseplayspoliticsinappointingadvisory
commissionsandeditingtheexecutivesummariesoftheirreports.Scientistsofall
ideologiesexaggeratetheimportanceoftheirownresearchandseekresultsthatwill
bringthemmoreattentionandfunding.
ButtwohugethreatstosciencearepeculiartotheLeftandtheyregettingworse.

T hefirstthreatisconfirmationbias,thewelldocumentedtendencyofpeopletoseek

outandacceptinformationthatconfirmstheirbeliefsandprejudices.Inaclassicstudy
ofpeerreview,75psychologistswereaskedtorefereeapaperaboutthementalhealth
ofleftwingstudentactivists.Somerefereessawaversionofthepapershowingthatthe
studentactivistsmentalhealthwasabovenormal;otherssawdifferentdata,showingit
tobebelownormal.Sureenough,themoreliberalrefereesweremorelikelyto
recommendpublishingthepaperfavorabletotheleftwingactivists.Whenthe
conclusionwenttheotherway,theyquicklyfoundproblemswithitsmethodology.
Scientiststrytoavoidconfirmationbiasbyexposingtheirworktopeerreviewbycritics
withdifferentviews,butitsincreasinglydifficultforliberalstofindsuchcritics.
Academicshavetraditionallyleanedleftpolitically,andmanyfieldshaveessentially
becomemonocultures,especiallyinthesocialsciences,whereDemocratsnow
outnumberRepublicansbyatleast8to1.(Insociology,wheretheratiois44to1,a
studentismuchlikeliertobetaughtbyaMarxistthanbyaRepublican.)Thelopsided
ratiohasledtoanotherwelldocumentedphenomenon:peoplesbeliefsbecomemore
extremewhentheyresurroundedbylikemindedcolleagues.Theycometoassumethat
theiropinionsarenotonlythenormbutalsothetruth.

Groupthinkhasbecomesoroutinethatmanyscientistsarentevenawareofit.Social
psychologists,whohaveextensivelystudiedconsciousandunconsciousbiasesagainst
outgroups,arequicktoblamethesebiasesfortheunderrepresentationofwomenor
minoritiesinthebusinessworldandotherinstitutions.Buttheyvebeenmostly
oblivioustotheirowndiversityproblem,whichisvastlylarger.Democratsoutnumber
Republicansatleast12to1(perhaps40to1)insocialpsychology,creatingwhat
JonathanHaidtcallsatribalmoralcommunitywithitsownsacredvaluesabout
whatsworthstudyingandwhatstaboo.
Moralitybindsandblinds,saysHaidt,asocialpsychologistatNewYorkUniversity
andauthorofTheRighteousMind:WhyGoodPeopleAreDividedbyPoliticsandReligion.
Havingcommonvaluesmakesagroupcohesive,whichcanbequiteuseful,butitsthe
lastthingthatshouldhappentoascientificfield.Progressivism,especiallyantiracism,
hasbecomeafundamentalistreligion,completewithantiblasphemylaws.
Lastyear,oneoftheleadingscientificjournals,BehavioralandBrainSciences,published
anarticlebyHaidtandfivecolleaguesdocumentingtheirprofessionslackof
ideologicaldiversity.Itwasaccompaniedbycommentariesfrom63othersocial
scientists,virtuallyallofwhom,eventheharshestcritics,acceptedtheauthors
conclusionthatthelackofpoliticaldiversityhasharmedthescienceofsocial
psychology.Theauthorsandthecommentatorspointedtoexampleafterexampleof
howtheabsenceofconservativeshasblindedresearcherstoflawsintheirwork,
particularlywhenstudyingpeoplesideologyandmorality.

Democrats outnumber Republicans at least 12 to 1

(perhaps 40 to 1) in social psychology.

ThenarrativethatRepublicansareantisciencehasbeenfedbywellpublicizedstudies
reportingthatconservativesaremoreclosemindedanddogmaticthanliberalsare.But
theseconclusionshavebeenbasedonquestionsaskingpeoplehowstronglytheycling
totraditionalmoralityandreligiondogmasthatmatteralotmoretoconservatives
thantoliberals.Afewotherstudiesnotwellpublicizedhaveshownthatliberalscan

bejustasclosemindedwhentheirownbeliefs,suchastheirfeelingsaboutthe
environmentorBarackObama,arechallenged.
Socialpsychologistshaveoftenreportedthatconservativesaremoreprejudicedagainst
othersocialgroupsthanliberalsare.ButoneofHaidtscoauthors,JarretCrawfordof
theCollegeofNewJersey,recentlynotedaglaringproblemwiththesestudies:they
typicallyinvolveattitudestowardgroupsthatleanleft,likeAfricanAmericansand
communists.WhenCrawford(whoisaliberal)didhisownstudyinvolvingawider
rangeofgroups,hefoundthatprejudiceisbipartisan.Liberalsdisplaystrongprejudice
againstreligiousChristiansandothergroupstheyperceiveasrightofcenter.
Conservativeshavebeenvariouslypathologizedasunethical,antisocial,andirrational
simplybecausetheydontsharebeliefsthatseemselfevidenttoliberals.Forinstance,
onestudyexploredethicaldecisionmakingbyaskingpeoplewhethertheywould
formallysupportafemalecolleaguescomplaintofsexualharassment.Therewasno
waytoknowifthecomplaintwasjustified,butanyonewhodidntautomaticallyside
withthewomanwasputintheunethicalcategory.Anotherstudyaskedpeople
whethertheybelievedthatinthelongrun,hardworkusuallybringsabetterlife
andthenclassifiedayesanswerasarationalizationofinequality.Anotherstudy
askedpeopleiftheyagreedthattheEarthhasplentyofnaturalresourcesifwejust
learnhowtodevelopthemaviewheldbymanyexpertsinresourceeconomics,but
thepsychologistspathologizeditasadenialofenvironmentalrealities.
Tocombatthesebiases,morethan150socialscientistshavejoinedHeterodoxAcademy,
agroupformedbyHaidtandhiscoauthorstopromoteideologicaldiversityamong
scholars.Thatsagoodstart,buttheyrenowhereclosetosolvingtheproblem.Evenif
socialsciencedepartmentsaddedafewconservatives,theydstillbeimmersedin
progressiveacademiccommunitiesbecominglesstolerantofdebatebecauseofpressure
fromcampusactivistsandfederalbureaucratsenforcinganeverexpanding
interpretationofTitleIX.Andtheirworkwouldstillbefilteredtothepublicby
reporterswholeanleft,toothatswhythepresshaspromotedtheRepublicanwaron
sciencemyth.WhenObamadiplomaticallyduckedaquestiononthecampaigntrail
abouttheageoftheEarth(Idontpresumetoknow),thepresspaidnoattention.
WhenMarcoRubiolaterdidthesamething(Imnotascientist),hewaslambastedas
atypicalRepublicanignoramusdeterminedtobringbacktheDarkAges.
ThecombinationofallthesepressuresfromtheLefthasrepeatedlyskewedscienceover
thepasthalfcentury.In1965,whenDanielPatrickMoynihanpublishedapaper

prescientlywarningofthedangersforblackchildrengrowingupinsingleparent
homes,itwasgreetedwithsuchhostilityhewasblamingthevictim,criticssaidthat
thetopicbecameofflimitsamongliberals,stymyingpublicdiscussionandresearchfor
decadesintooneofthemostpressingproblemsfacingminoritychildren.Similarly,
liberaladvocateshaveworkedtosuppressreportingontheproblemsofchildrenraised
bygayparentsoronanydrawbacksofputtingyoungchildrenindaycare.In1991,a
leadingfamilypsychologist,LouiseSilverstein,publishedanarticleintheAmerican
Psychologisturginghercolleaguestorefusetoundertakeanymoreresearchthatlooks
forthenegativeconsequencesofotherthanmothercare.

T heLeftsmostrigidtaboosinvolvethebiologyofraceandgender,astheHarvard

psychologistStevenPinkerchroniclesinTheBlankSlate.Thebooktakesitstitlefrom
Pinkerstermforthedogmathatanydifferencesweseeamongraces,ethnicgroups,
sexes,andindividualscomenotfromdifferencesintheirinnateconstitutionbutfrom
differencesintheirexperiences.ThedogmaconstrictsresearchersperspectiveNo
biology,please,weresocialscientistsanddiscouragesdebate,inandoutof
academia.Earlyresearchersinsociobiologyfacedvitriolicattacksfromprominent
scientistslikeStephenJayGould,whoaccusedthemofracismandsexismforstudying
geneticinfluencesonbehavior.
StudyingIQhasbeenariskycareermovesincethe1970s,whenresearcherslikeArthur
JensenandRichardHerrnsteinhadtocancellectures(andsometimeshirebodyguards)
becauseofangryprotestersaccusingthemofracism.Governmentfundingdriedup,
forcingresearchersinIQandbehavioralgeneticstorelyonprivatedonors,whointhe
1980sfinancedtherenownedMinnesotastudyoftwinsrearedapart.Leftiststriedtocut
offthatfundinginthe1990s,whentheUniversityofDelawarehaltedtheIQresearchof
LindaGottfredsonandJanBlitsfortwoyearsbyrefusingtoletthemaccepta
foundationsgrant;theresearchproceededonlyafteranarbitratorruledthattheir
academicfreedomhadbeenviolated.

The work of left-wing population alarmists inspired Chinas monstrous one-child policy, which included
forced abortions and infanticide. (JULIO ETCHART/ULLSTEIN BILD/GRANGER, NYC ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED.)

TheBlankSlatedogmahasperpetuatedaliberalversionofcreationism:thebeliefthat
therehasbeennoevolutioninmodernhumanssincetheylefttheirancestralhomeland
inAfricasome50,000yearsago.Exceptforafewgeneticchangesinskincolorandother
superficialqualities,humanseverywherearesupposedlyalikebecausetherehasnt
beenenoughtimeforsignificantdifferencestoevolveintheirbrainsandinnate
behavior.Thisbeliefwasplausiblewhenbiologistsassumedthatevolutionwasaslow
process,butthedecodingofthehumangenomehasdisprovedit,asNicholasWade(a
formercolleagueofmineattheNewYorkTimes)reportedinhis2015book,A
TroublesomeInheritance.
Humanevolutionhasbeenrecent,copiousandregional,writesWade,notingthatat
least8percentofthehumangenomehaschangedsincethedeparturefromAfrica.The
newanalysishasrevealedfivedistinguishableracesthatevolvedinresponsetoregional
conditions:Africans,EastAsians,Caucasians,thenativesoftheAmericas,andthe

peoplesofAustraliaandPapuaNewGuinea.Yetsocialscientistsgoondenyingthe
veryexistenceofraces.TheAmericanAnthropologicalAssociationdeclaresracetobe
ahumaninventionthatisaboutculture,notbiology.TheAmericanSociological
Associationcallsraceasocialconstruct.Evenbiologistsandgeneticistsareafraidof
theRword.Morethan100ofthemsentalettertotheNewYorkTimesdenouncing
Wadesbookasinaccurate,yettheyrefusedtoprovideanyexamplesofhismistakes.
TheyapparentlyhadntbotheredtoreadthebookbecausetheyaccusedWadeof
linkingracialvariationstoIQscoresalinkthathisbookspecificallyrejected.
Somegeneticdifferencesarepoliticallyacceptableontheleft,suchasthebiological
basisforhomosexuality,whichwasdeemedplausibleby70percentofsociologistsina
recentsurvey.Butthatsamesurveyfoundthatonly43percentacceptedabiological
explanationformalefemaledifferencesinspatialskillsandcommunication.Howcould
therestofthesociologistsdenytheroleofbiology?Itwasnocoincidencethatthese
doubtersespousedthemostextremeleftwingpoliticalviewsandthestrongest
commitmenttoafeministperspective.Todedicatedleftistsandfeminists,itdoesnt
matterhowmuchevidenceofsexualdifferencesisproducedbydevelopmental
psychologists,primatologists,neuroscientists,andotherresearchers.Anydisparity
betweenthesexesor,atleast,anydisparityunfavorabletowomenmustbeblamed
ondiscriminationandotherculturalfactors.
FormerHarvardpresidentLawrenceSummersfoundthisoutthehardwayatan
academicconferencewherehedaredtodiscussthepreponderanceofmenamong
professorsofmathematicsandphysicalsciencesateliteuniversities.While
acknowledgingthatwomenfacedculturalbarriers,likediscriminationandthe
pressuresoffamilyresponsibilities,Summershypothesizedthattheremightbeother
factors,too,suchasthegreaternumberofmenattheextremehighendintests
measuringmathematicalabilityandothertraits.Malesgreatervariabilityinaptitudeis
wellestablisheditswhytherearemoremaleduncesaswellasgeniusesbut
scientificaccuracywasnodefenseagainstthefeministoutcry.Thecontroversyforced
Summerstoapologizeandultimatelycontributedtohisresignation.Besidesviolating
theBlankSlatetaboo,Summershadthreatenedanacademiccottageindustrykeptalive
bythemyththatgenderdisparitiesinscienceareduetodiscrimination.
Thisindustry,supportedbymorethan$200millionfromtheNationalScience
Foundation,persistsdespiteoverwhelmingevidencefromexperimentsaswellas
extensivestudiesofwhogetsacademicjobsandresearchgrantsthatafemalescientist
istreatedaswellasorbetterthananequallyqualifiedmale.Inarigoroussetoffive

experimentspublishedlastyear,thefemalecandidatewaspreferredtwotooneoveran
equivalentmale.Themainreasonforsexualdisparitiesinsomefieldsisadifferencein
interests:fromanearlyage,moremalesaremoreinterestedinfieldslikephysicsand
engineering,whilemorefemalesareinterestedinfieldslikebiologyandpsychology
(wheremostdoctoratesgotowomen).
Onthewhole,Americanwomenaredoingmuchbetterthanmenacademicallythey
receivethemajorityofundergraduateandgraduatedegreesyeteducationresearchers
andfederalfundershavefocusedfordecadesonthefewfieldsinsciencewheremen
predominate.ItwasbadenoughthattheNationalScienceFoundationsgrantspaidfor
workshopsfeaturingagamecalledGenderBiasBingoandskitsinwhicharrogantmale
scientistsmistreatsmarterfemalecolleagues.Butthen,theseworkshopsnearlybecame
mandatorywhenDemocratscontrolledCongressin2010.Inresponsetofeminist
lobbying,theHousepassedabill(whichfortunatelydiedintheSenate)requiring
federalscienceagenciestoholdgenderequityworkshopsfortherecipientsof
researchgrants.
Itmightseemoddthatthepartyofsciencewouldbedraggingresearchersoutofthe
labtobereeducatedingamesofGenderBiasBingo.Butpoliticianswillalwayscare
moreaboutpleasingconstituenciesthanadvancingscience.

A ndthatbringsustothesecondgreatthreatfromtheLeft:itslongtraditionofmixing

scienceandpolitics.Toconservatives,thefundamentalproblemwiththeLeftiswhat
FriedrichHayekcalledthefatalconceit:thedelusionthatexpertsarewiseenoughto
redesignsociety.Conservativesdistrustcentralplanners,preferringtorelyon
traditionalinstitutionsthatprotectindividualsnaturalrightsagainstthepowerofthe
state.Leftistshavemuchmoreconfidenceinexpertsandthestate.Engelsarguedfor
scientificsocialism,aredesignofsocietysupposedlybasedonthescientificmethod.
CommunistintellectualsplannedtomoldtheNewSovietMan.Progressivesyearned
forasocietyguidedbyimpartialagenciesunconstrainedbyoldfashionedpoliticsand
religion.HerbertCroly,founderoftheNewRepublicandaleadinglightof
progressivism,predictedthatabetterfuturewouldderivefromthebeneficent
activitiesofexpertsocialengineerswhowouldbringtotheserviceofsocialidealsall
thetechnicalresourceswhichresearchcoulddiscover.
Thiswasallveryflatteringtoscientists,onereasonthatsomanyofthemleanedleft.
TheRightcitedscientificworkwhenuseful,butitdidntenlistsciencetoremakesociety
itstillpreferredguidancefromtraditionalmoralistsandclerics.TheLeftsaw

scientistsasthenewhighpriests,offeringthemprestige,money,andpower.Thepower
toooftencorrupted.Overandover,scientistsyieldedtothetemptationtoexaggerate
theirexpertiseandmoralauthority,sometimesforhorrendouspurposes.
DrawingonresearchintogeneticsandanimalbreedingfromscientistsatHarvard,Yale,
JohnsHopkins,andotherleadinguniversities,theeugenicsmovementofthe1920s
madeplansforimprovingthehumanpopulation.Professorstaughteugenicstotheir
studentsandworkedwithCrolyandotherprogressiveseagertobreedasmarter
society,includingTheodoreRoosevelt,WoodrowWilson,andMargaretSanger.
Eventually,otherscientistsnotably,inEnglandexposedtheshoddyresearchand
assumptionsoftheeugenicists,butnotbeforetheinvoluntarysterilizationorcastration
ofmorethan35,000Americans.EvenafterHitlerusedeugenicstojustifykilling
millions,theLeftdidntloseitsinterestincontrollinghumanbreeding.
Eugenicistthinkingwasrevivedbyscientistsconvincedthatthehumanspecieshad
exceededthecarryingcapacityofitsecosystem.ThemostprominentwasPaul
Ehrlich,whosescientificspecialtywasthestudyofbutterflies.Undeterredbyhis
ignoranceofagricultureandeconomics,hepublishedconfidentpredictionsofimminent
globalfamineinThePopulationBomb(1968).Agriculturaleconomistsdismissedhis
ideas,butthepressreverentlyquotedEhrlichandotheracademicswhoclaimedtohave
scientificallydeterminedthattheEarthwasoverpopulated.InthejournalScience,
ecologistGarrettHardinarguedthatfreedomtobreedwillbringruintoall.Ehrlich,
who,atonepoint,advocatedsupplyingAmericanhelicoptersanddoctorstoaproposed
programofcompulsorysterilizationinIndia,joinedwithphysicistJohnHoldrenin
arguingthattheU.S.Constitutionwouldpermitpopulationcontrol,includinglimitson
familysizeandforcedabortions.EhrlichandHoldrencalmlyanalyzedthemeritsof
varioustechnologies,suchasaddingsterilantstopublicdrinkingwater,andcalledfora
planetaryregimetocontrolpopulationandnaturalresourcesaroundtheworld.

Environmental science has become so politicized that its

myths endure even after theyve been disproved.

TheirideaswentnowhereintheUnitedStates,buttheyinspiredoneoftheworst
humanrightsviolationsofthetwentiethcentury,inChina:theonechildpolicy,
resultingincoercedabortionandfemaleinfanticide.Chinastrugglestodaywitha
dangerouslysmallnumberofworkerstosupportitsagingpopulation.Theintellectual
godfathersofthisatrocity,hadtheybeenconservatives,surelywouldhavebeen
ostracized.Butevenafterhispredictionsturnedouttobewildlywrong,Ehrlichwent
oncollectinghonors.
Forhispart,Holdrenhasservedforthepasteightyearsasthescienceadvisorto
PresidentObama,apositionfromwhichhelamentsthatAmericansdonttakehis
warningsonclimatechangeseriously.Hedoesntseemtorealizethatpublicskepticism
hasalottodowiththedismaltrackrecordofhimselfandhisfellowenvironmentalists.
Theresalwaysanapocalypserequiringtheexpansionofstatepower.Thevisionsof
globalfaminewerefollowedbymorefailedpredictions,suchasanageofscarcity
duetovanishingsuppliesofenergyandnaturalresourcesandepidemicsofcancerand
infertilitycausedbysyntheticchemicals.Ina1976book,TheGenesisStrategy,the
climatologistStephenSchneideradvocatedanewfourthbranchofthefederal
government(withexpertslikehimselfserving20yearterms)todealwiththeimminent
crisisofglobalcooling.Helaterswitchedtobecomealeaderintheglobalwarming
debate.
Environmentalsciencehasbecomesopoliticizedthatitsmythsendureevenafter
theyvebeendisproved.RachelCarsonsSilentSpringsetoffdecadesofchemophobia
withitsscaryanecdotesandbadscience,likeherbaselessclaimthatDDTwascausing
cancerinhumansandhervisionofamassaviandieoff(thebirdpopulationwas
actuallyincreasingasshewrote).YetSilentSpringistaughtinhighschoolandcollege
coursesasamodelofsciencewriting,withnomentionoftheincreaseddeathtollsfrom
malariaincountriesthatrestrictedDDT,orofotherproblemslikethespreadof
dengueandtheZikavirusexacerbatedbyneedlessfearsofinsecticides.Similarly,the
Leftszealtofindnewreasonstoregulatehasledtopseudoscientificscaremongering
aboutFrankenfoods,transfats,BPAinplastic,mobilephones,electroniccigarettes,
powerlines,fracking,andnuclearenergy.
Thehealthestablishmentspentdecadesadvocatingalowsaltdietforeveryone(and
pressuringthefoodindustrytoreducesalt)withoutanyproofthatitprolongedlives.
Whenresearchersfinallygotaroundtodoingsmallclinicaltrials,theyfoundthatthe
lowsaltdietdidnotprolonglives.Ifanything,itwasassociatedwithhighermortality.
Theworstdebacleinhealthscienceinvolveddietaryfat,whichbecameanofficialpublic

enemyinthe1970s,thankstoafewselfpromotingscientistsandpoliticallysavvy
activistswhoalliedwithDemocratsinCongressledbyGeorgeMcGovernandHenry
Waxman.Thesupposedlinkbetweenhighfatdietsandheartdiseasewasbasedon
cherrypickedepidemiology,butthefederalgovernmentendorseditbypublishing
formaldietarygoalsfortheUnitedStatesandcreatingthenowinfamousfood
pyramidthatencouragedAmericanstoreplacefatintheirdietswithcarbohydrates.The
publichealthestablishmentdevoteditseffortsandfundingtodemonstratingthe
benefitsoflowfatdiets.Butthelowfatdietrepeatedlyflunkedclinicaltrials,andthe
governmentsencouragementofcarbohydratesprobablycontributedtorisingratesof
obesityanddiabetes,asjournalistsGaryTaubesandNinaTeicholzhavechronicledin
theirbooks.(SeeTheWashingtonDiet,Spring2011.)
ThedietaryfatdebateisacasestudyinscientificgroupthinkandintheLefts
techniquesforenforcingpoliticalorthodoxy.Fromthestart,prominentnutrition
researchersdisputedfatslinktoheartdiseaseandcriticizedWashingtonforrunninga
dietaryexperimentontheentirepopulation.Buttheyweredismissedasoutlierswhod
beencorruptedbycorporatemoney.Atonehearing,SenatorMcGovernrebuttedthe
skepticsbycitingasurveyshowingthatlowfatdietrecommendationswereendorsed
by92percentoftheworldsleadingdoctors.Federalbureaucratsandactivists
smearedskepticsbyleakinginformationtothepressabouttheirconsultingworkwith
thefoodindustry.Oneskeptic,RobertOlsonofWashingtonUniversity,protestedthat
duringhiscareer,hehadreceived$250,000fromthefoodindustryversusmorethan$10
millionfromfederalagencies,includingonespromotinglowfatdiets.Ifhecouldbe
bought,hesaid,itwouldbemoreaccuratetocallhimatoolofgovernment.Asusual,
though,theliberalpressfocusedonlyoncorporatemoney.

T hesesamesneerandsmeartechniquespredominateinthedebateoverclimate

change.PresidentObamapromoteshisgreenagendabyannouncingthatthedebateis
settled,andhedenouncesclimatedeniersbyclaimingthat97percentofscientists
believethatglobalwarmingisdangerous.Hisstatementsarefalse.Whilethe
greenhouseeffectisundeniablyreal,andwhilemostscientistsagreethattherehasbeen
ariseinglobaltemperaturescausedinsomepartbyhumanemissionsofcarbon
dioxide,nooneknowshowmuchmorewarmingwilloccurthiscenturyorwhetherit
willbedangerous.Howcouldthesciencebesettledwhentherehavebeendozensof
computermodelsofhowcarbondioxideaffectstheclimate?Andwhenmostofthe
modelsoverestimatedhowmuchwarmingshouldhaveoccurredbynow?Thesefailed
predictions,aswellasrecentresearchintotheeffectsofwatervaporontemperatures,
havecausedmanyscientiststolowertheirprojectionsoffuturewarming.Someluke

warmistssuggestthatfuturetemperatureincreaseswillberelativelymodestandprove
tobeanetbenefit,atleastintheshortterm.
Thelongtermrisksarecertainlyworthstudying,butnomatterwhosepredictionsyou
trust,climatescienceprovidesnojustificationforObamasgreenagendaoranyone
elsesagenda.Evenifitweresomehowprovedthathighendestimatesforfutureglobal
warmingareaccurate,thatwouldntimplythatGreenshavetherightpracticalsolution
forreducingcarbonemissionsorthatweevenneedtoreducethoseemissions.Policies
fordealingwithglobalwarmingvaryaccordingtopoliticalbeliefs,economic
assumptions,socialpriorities,andmoralprinciples.Wouldregulatingcarbondioxide
stifleeconomicgrowthandgivetoomuchpowertothestate?Isitmoraltoimpose
sacrificesonpoorpeopletokeeptemperaturesalittlecoolerfortheirdescendants,who
willpresumablybemanytimesricher?Aretheremoreimportantproblemstoaddress
first?Thesearentquestionswithscientificallycorrectanswers.
Yetmanyclimateresearchersarepassingofftheirpoliticalopinionsasscience,justas
Obamadoes,andtheyreevenusingthatabsurdlyunscientifictermdenierasifthey
werepriestsguardingsomeeternaltruth.Scienceadvancesbycontinuallychallenging
andtestinghypotheses,butthemodernLefthasbecomeobsessedwithsilencing
heretics.InalettertoAttorneyGeneralLorettaLynchlastyear,20climatescientists
urgedhertousefederalracketeeringlawstoprosecutecorporationsandthinktanks
thathavedeceivedtheAmericanpeopleabouttherisksofclimatechange.Similar
assaultsonfreespeechareendorsedintheDemocraticPartys2016platform,which
callsforprosecutionofcompaniesthatmakemisleadingstatementsaboutthe
scientificrealityofclimatechange.AgroupofDemocraticstateattorneysgeneral
coordinatedanassaultonclimateskepticsbysubpoenaingrecordsfromfossilfuel
companiesandfreemarketthinktanks,supposedlyaspartofinvestigationsto
prosecutecorporatefraud.Suchprosecutionsmaygonowhereincourttheyreblatant
violationsoftheFirstAmendmentbutthatsnottheirpurpose.Bydemandinga
decadesworthofemailandotherrecords,theDemocraticinquisitorsandtheir
scientistallieswanttoharassclimatedissidentsandintimidatetheirdonors.
Justasinthedebateoverdietaryfat,thesedissidentsgetsmearedinthepressas
corporateshillsbutonceagain,themoneyflowsalmostentirelytheotherway.The
mostvocalcriticsofclimatedogmaareahalfdozenthinktanksthattogetherspendless
than$15millionannuallyonenvironmentalissues.Thehalfdozenmajorgreengroups
spendmorethan$500million,andthefederalgovernmentspends$10billiononclimate
researchandtechnologytoreduceemissions.Additup,anditsclearthatscientistsface

tremendouspressuretosupporttheconsensusonreducingcarbonemissions,as
JudithCurry,aclimatologistatGeorgiaTech,testifiedlastyearataSenatehearing.
Thispressurecomesnotonlyfrompoliticiansbutalsofromfederalfundingagencies,
universitiesandprofessionalsocieties,andscientiststhemselveswhoaregreen
activists,Currysaid.Thisadvocacyextendstotheprofessionalsocietiesthatpublish
journalsandorganizeconferences.Policyadvocacy,combinedwithunderstatingthe
uncertainties,risksdestroyingsciencesreputationforhonestyandobjectivitywithout
whichscientistsbecomeregardedasmerelyanotherlobbyistgroup.

T hatstheultimatecasualtyintheLeftswar:scientistsreputations.Badresearchcan
beexposedanddiscarded,butbadreputationsendure.Socialscientistsarealready
regardedinWashingtonasanarmoftheDemocraticParty,sotheirresearchis
dismissedaspartisanevenwhenitsnot,andsomeRepublicanshavetried
(unsuccessfully)tocutoffallsocialsciencefunding.Thephysicalsciencesstillenjoy
bipartisansupport,butthatsbeingerodedbythegreenpoliticking,andclimate
scientistsstandingwillplummetiftheproclaimedconsensusturnsouttobewrong.

Topreservetheirintegrity,scientistsshouldavoidpoliticsandembracetheskeptical
rigorthattheirprofessionrequires.Theyneedtostartwelcomingconservativesand
otherswhowillspottheirbiasesandviolatetheirtaboos.Makingthesechangeswont
beeasy,butthefirststepissimple:stoppretendingthatthethreatstoscienceare
comingfromtheRight.Lookintheotherdirectionorinthemirror.

John Tierney is a contributing editor of CityJournal, coauthor of Willpower:

RediscoveringtheGreatestStrength, and a contributing science columnist for the New
YorkTimes, where he previously wrote The Big City column.

TopPhoto:ObjectingtoOxfordsbiomedicalresearch,theAnimalLiberationFront
firebombedauniversitybuilding.(KIRSTYWIGGLESWORTH/APPHOTO)

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