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Tell Elected Officials: Stop Playing Politics with Science!

Target: U.S. Senate, House of Representatives
Sponsored by: Union Of Concerned Scientists
Recently, we've been overwhelmed with news about political appointees manipulating, distorting, and suppressing the science on global warming – as well as on other issues such as mercury pollution and lead poisoning. Political interference in science has dangerous implications for our health, safety and environment.

In June, we learned that White House chief of staff on the Council on Environmental Quality, Phil Cooney, personally edited and distorted scientific reports, and in doing so significantly downplayed the scientific certainty on global warming. But Mr. Cooney is not a scientist - he's a lawyer who used to work as an oil industry lobbyist. After the New York Times revealed Cooney's involvement in doctoring government reports on behalf of the Bush administration, he left his job and took a position with ExxonMobil, the world's largest oil company and leading critic of global warming science.

Then in July, scientists accused U.S. Representative Joe Barton (R-TX) of harassing and intimidating prominent climate scientists over their findings on global warming.

With the scientific facts and the impacts of global warming clear, doesn't it make you wonder whose interests our government officials are looking out for?

It's time to let our elected officials know we won't tolerate their manipulation of science for political purposes!
deadline: 10-1-2005
goal: 25,000
 
22,599
signatures!

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Dear [your senator/representative]:

The role of science in our society is to ask questions, to facilitate free and open access to information, to provide facts and evidence that can guide and shape policy, and to contribute to the betterment of society through technological improvements. Scientific discoveries and innovations play a critical role in increasing our nation's living standards, ensuring our national security and improving our families' health and well being. The application of scientific information is essential in guiding public policy decisions.

Yet to be effective, science depends on adherence to fundamental principles in its pursuit and application. These principles include objectivity, the use of rigorous research methods, transparency, and the disclosure of potential biases and real or perceived conflicts of interest.

In order to preserve the core values in science and science-based decision making, our nation's policies should uphold fundamental scientific principles and practices. We call upon you to make a commitment to policies that will support those principles.

These policies should:

  • Ensure that scientific and health information and reports provided by the government are based on full and informed assessments of all relevant data, done in an independent manner, free of financial conflicts of interest.


  • Ensure that scientists are not pressured to delay, suppress, or alter scientific or medical information that may be in conflict with the administration's political position, and are not penalized if they resist such pressure.


  • Ensure that the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) is fully enforced, to make certain that scientific advisory committees are able to provide the highest quality independent scientific advice to the government, without political or ideological bias. Ensure that people who do not have adequate scientific qualifications are not appointed to scientific advisory positions.


  • Safeguard against subjecting scientists to ideological or political litmus tests for advisory committees and civil service positions.


  • Ensure that the President and Congress get scientific advice as early as possible in the decision-making process, and that this is done in a transparent fashion.


  • Ensure that the lack of complete certainty or irrefutable proof does not erode time-honored precautionary approaches to public health and environmental protections.


  • The suppression and distortion of scientific information erodes credibility and public trust in government, and may compromise the health and safety of Americans.


Sincerely,
[your name]
We signed the “Tell Elected Officials: Stop Playing Politics with Science!” petition!
# 22,622:
6:51 am PST, Jan 17, Kim Gelinas, Massachusetts
# 22,621:
8:11 am PST, Jan 16, Name not displayed, Pennsylvania
Global warming is a fact,,, the average high temperature here, in PA., for this past week should be in the upper 20's and low 30's. This past week we have in fact had high temperatures in the 60's. The weather and climate here is unstable, global warming is a sad fact. Please stop manipulating and editing scientific data to suit the political wants of corrupt corporations.
# 22,620:
6:26 pm PST, Jan 14, Melissa Mobeck, Washington
# 22,619:
4:46 pm PST, Jan 14, Rich Meyer, Illinois
Scientists are pressured too much to stay in the norm, this is keeping us from breaking into the 21st century the way we should. Politics and science mix almost as well as church and state.
# 22,618:
2:24 pm PST, Jan 14, Susan P., Florida
# 22,617:
7:47 am PST, Jan 14, Bill Rogers, Massachusetts
# 22,616:
7:13 am PST, Jan 12, Kazuaki Sugi, New York
# 22,615:
2:05 pm PST, Jan 11, Heidi Holden, Florida
# 22,614:
12:54 pm PST, Jan 11, Halley Farber, Georgia
# 22,613:
9:25 pm PST, Jan 10, Nancie Clementi, Illinois
# 22,612:
4:01 pm PST, Jan 10, Regina Knapp, California
# 22,611:
11:21 am PST, Jan 10, Algernon A. phillips, New Jersey
Humanity may be at stake
# 22,610:
5:44 am PST, Jan 10, Michael Yeaton, Pennsylvania
# 22,609:
6:48 am PST, Jan 9, C Lisa Jackson, Oregon
# 22,608:
3:40 am PST, Jan 9, Marc Gartmann, Netherlands
# 22,607:
1:18 pm PST, Jan 8, Linda Berroth-Linderman, Arizona
# 22,606:
11:35 am PST, Jan 7, Madeline Graham, California
# 22,605:
2:23 am PST, Jan 7, Marc Rubin, New Jersey
# 22,604:
6:32 pm PST, Jan 6, Simos Tarabatzis, Greece
# 22,603:
5:25 pm PST, Jan 6, Debbie Shupe, Maryland
# 22,602:
4:57 pm PST, Jan 6, Ezra Kirbach, North Carolina
# 22,601:
3:55 pm PST, Jan 5, Denise Palmer, Arizona
# 22,600:
12:11 pm PST, Jan 5, Mickie Smith, Missouri
# 22,599:
11:42 am PST, Jan 5, D White, Indiana
# 22,598:
10:36 am PST, Jan 5, Shana Villarreal, Texas
# 22,597:
8:56 am PST, Jan 3, Nancy Ohm, Pennsylvania
# 22,596:
5:33 am PST, Jan 2, Nijn Esra, Netherlands
# 22,595:
5:22 pm PST, Dec 29, Kryslyn Pratt, California
# 22,594:
9:47 am PST, Dec 28, Kathy Boyle, Michigan
The most important element of democracy is an honest government. Global warming is an important issue. It is wrong to distort the truth.
# 22,593:
11:37 pm PST, Dec 26, Mary Hockett, Alabama
# 22,592:
9:58 am PST, Dec 25, Laura Kagan, California
# 22,591:
12:46 am PST, Dec 25, James Doherty Iii, Connecticut
# 22,590:
8:52 pm PST, Dec 21, Jessica Fildes, Ohio
# 22,589:
9:57 am PST, Dec 21, Angela Rose, Florida
# 22,588:
8:31 pm PST, Dec 20, Tiffany Smith, Indiana
# 22,587:
12:43 pm PST, Dec 20, Keely Chow, Alabama
# 22,586:
2:43 am PST, Dec 20, Roberta Codner, Indiana
# 22,585:
10:56 am PST, Dec 19, Stephanie Robison , Minnesota
# 22,584:
1:28 am PST, Dec 19, Alan M. Zinzow, California
# 22,583:
6:39 pm PST, Dec 18, Michael Molver, California
Impeach Bush and Cheney if you serve the people!
# 22,582:
1:14 pm PST, Dec 18, Alex White, California
# 22,581:
3:22 pm PST, Dec 17, Name not displayed, United Kingdom
# 22,580:
1:41 pm PST, Dec 14, Johnny Mathis, Tennessee
# 22,579:
4:55 pm PST, Dec 13, Karenlee Elliott-Roose, California
This is lying. We did not put you in office to work against the people. The Constitution is supposed to be "For the People" not to hide facts fromm the people.
# 22,578:
1:11 pm PST, Dec 12, Anna Asbury, Kentucky
# 22,577:
7:30 am PST, Dec 11, Kendra Knisley, Massachusetts
# 22,576:
7:11 am PST, Dec 11, Donna Hodsdon-Trips, Idaho
# 22,575:
4:17 pm PST, Dec 10, Franchezska Zamora, California
# 22,574:
2:58 pm PST, Dec 10, William Taylor, North Carolina
# 22,573:
10:08 pm PST, Dec 9, Lauren English, Texas
# 22,572:
10:52 am PST, Dec 9, Rachel Crandell, New York
# 22,571:
11:42 am PST, Dec 8, Erin Lund, Washington
# 22,570:
8:37 am PST, Dec 7, Evelyn Chase, Virginia
Science cannot be if it is controlled, for then it is no longer science but a tool to manipulate. The cost will be borne by people financially, medically and educationally and the USA will continue to decline in public health and research in the world.
# 22,569:
9:37 am PST, Dec 4, Thomas Pirovano, Switzerland
# 22,568:
8:47 am PST, Nov 30, Brenda Schenk, Washington
# 22,567:
5:07 pm PST, Nov 26, Roy Moss, Oregon
# 22,566:
6:35 am PST, Nov 26, Jennifer Dub, California
# 22,565:
3:01 pm PST, Nov 25, LINDSEY KISER, Massachusetts
# 22,564:
8:50 am PST, Nov 20, Heather Hodges, Ohio
# 22,563:
1:52 pm PST, Nov 19, Larry Manter, California
# 22,562:
2:19 pm PST, Nov 17, Patricia Williams, California
Stop this now please
# 22,561:
5:58 pm PST, Nov 16, Victoria Powers, Washington
# 22,560:
9:06 am PST, Nov 15, Name not displayed, Washington
# 22,559:
9:15 am PST, Nov 14, Penelope Pajel McCollum, Kentucky
# 22,558:
7:43 pm PST, Nov 13, Bryan LeClaire, Illinois
# 22,557:
5:13 pm PST, Nov 11, Matt Olech, Illinois
# 22,556:
4:38 pm PST, Nov 10, Keone Haley, Florida
# 22,555:
12:16 pm PST, Nov 9, Lily Williams, Massachusetts
# 22,554:
8:50 am PST, Nov 9, Miles Loegering, Texas
Others will write better than I can write.
# 22,553:
6:47 am PST, Nov 8, Don Schaefer, Massachusetts
You are gambling with everyone's future by not beiieving in what science is telling us. Have you no shame?
# 22,552:
11:20 pm PST, Nov 7, Robert Bernal, California
Down playing the effects of a dwindling Energy supply not only causes national upheaval, it limits public support for MASSIVE wind (and solar) energy -projects that is the means to continue growth
# 22,551:
10:01 pm PST, Nov 7, Mara Bella, California
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