Scientific Integrity in the Federal Government

This writing starts with a publication in the January 10 issue of C&E News. It is entitled, "Federal Blueprint for Scientific integrity".

It is said that Congress has been following the issue of scientific integrity at federal agencies for many years.

In March of 2009, Pres. Barack Obama pledged in his address to executive departments and agencies that government officials should not suppress or alter scientific or technological findings and conclusions. He was referring to this in regard to forming public policy.

In December of 2010, the Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP) issued the long-awaited memorandum to federal departments designed to ensure scientific integrity and the government. The memorandum does not seem to cover the fact that all various agencies of the federal government work for the president, whose ideological persuasions are well-known to the leaders of those federal agencies and the other employees. Therefore, to hold their jobs, they generally tend to show bias in scientific investigations within their departments. in addition, they tend to use subterfuge in grants to third-party investigators, who also know that the handwriting is on the wall to come up with answers which are consistent with the ideologies of the president, in order to have their grants continued

In the February 7 issue of C&E News, it is reported that the Department of interior became the first department to issue a new policy for scientific integrity based on the previous OSTP memorandum. Interior Sec. Ken Salazar said in a statement that the policy sets forth clear expectations for all employees - political and career - to uphold the principles of scientific integrity and establishes a process for an impartial review of alleged breaching of those principles. This is, again, a motherhood statement very similar to Pres. Obama's original speech. Among the specifics, is the statement that government scientists may speak freely to the news media and public in areas related to their work and have protection for whistleblowers.

I don't know what else the Salazar Policy. While there is indication of protection for whistleblowers, it certainly will not correct my major concern that there will always be bias toward what the boss thinks in order to protect one's job

The only solution to this problem is to change the fundamental ideologies by replacing those in power, such as Ken Salazar and Pres. Obama, with new people having a more reasonable ideology for the progress of the United States rather than a redistribution of wealth on a worldwide basis.

Let's hope we can achieve this in the forthcoming 2012 election.