Add it to the list of disastrous moves to end US soft power already underway: blowing up global free trade, killing USAID, pulling out of WHO, cutting half of all science investment, threatening our allies' sovereignty, withdrawing from serious climate engagements...

Just like any other science based problem like COVID, their answer is to ignore all evidence and destroy all data showing there is a problem

Reality has a well known liberal bias

Not to say this isn't needed, but some of the reasons are that tenure committees typically don't value non academic outreach, and scientists that are vocal publicly tend to get a lot of negative attention from guess who. So it's seen as high risk and little reward to your career.

You're welcome.

And yes, kid 3rd from the front in the red shirt that is too into it? That is exactly how I lived my marching band life.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSgj...

I feel like it's a slightly bigger priority for Congress to check if they even have the power to fund studies at the moment. Once they get a grip on the nation's purse strings again then we can talk about what to do with that constitutional authority.

"In conclusion, we know how to make a lot of things safer, more resilient, and prettier. But doing that would mean the rich can't have yachts or private doomsday bunkers, which is bad for the economy or something... Any questions?"

Perhaps they could get some letters from psychologists explaining the emotional trauma of the new administration's workforce in having to see messages either not about them or presenting a point of view they disagree with? I'm assuming that's the root cause.

Sounds like one of their strategy consultants played a little too much Fallout the week before a big pitch meeting

It's not really surprising for a newly elected administration full of proverbial foxes to immediately move to remove all fences and ban guard dogs from hen houses

There is definitely some irony in being honest about having no ethics, though that is little solace in the face of a crumbling government bowing to the pressure of reckless hate and short sightedness

Back of the envelope assuming an average 4 yr sentence (quick Google) that's ~300 people a year diverted from prison with UBI at net savings of ~$32M/yr ($14M/yr for them and everyone else released in UBI - $46.5M to incarcerate those 310 people per year). No brainier for the 3 years after release

I know the jobs are much more human, but even the oligarchs are going to be mad at this because it for sure will hit the stock market too if those grants are not disbursed. Capital planning for a lot of energy companies was built on that money