Arrest for surpressing climate change information?

Question

Recently a number of people here were screaming for the head of NASA scientist Dr. James Hansen for his position and research on climate change. Same saying he should be arrested.

Turns out the White House's chief science adviser, John Marburger, cut out two vital sections ("Climate Change is a Public Health Concern" and "Climate Change Vulnerability") from a taxpayer-supported environmental report being presented before congress. This cut the report in half.

How come these folks aren't calling for Marburger's arrest, or at the very least, his firing?

Amy,

Good point. Here is the link:

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90852/6290428.html

Mr. Jello: Wrong as usual. Hansen is a director with the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, which reports to NASA. In turn, NASA reports to Congress -- not the White House.

I'd like to see you prove to me a dime that Hansen has personally taken from any PAC.

Besides, the topic is John Marburger -- which is VERY current. Any answers on his behavior? Care to explain why he hasn't been sacked for meddling with a taxpayer-supported federal study?

Do you actually do ANY research on your answers out of curiosity?

Answer 1

I'm sure Congress and the Senate will pass a motion censuring him for what that's worth - it didn't do much harm to Bill O'Reilly or MoveOn.org.

This is the problem with term limits - GWB can't run again so what does he care about how people view his presidency? Hopefully some of this will rub off on the GOP in general.

I'm calling - Marburger should be held in contempt of Congress and fined, censured and dismissed.

Answer 2

While the doc appears to know what he's talking about, he's a bit of a loose cannon. He had the ear of the White House back in 2001, but lost favor a few years later when during a university speech he indicated he was going to vote for Kerry.

More recently, he appears to be balking at NASA restrictions involving what they feel are policy statements. That's huge with an agency under the kind of pressure they have been facing lately. Then again, he's dealing with an administration that promised voters "sound science," and Marburger is simply acting as the administrations voice. The fact that the Union of Concerned Scientists collected signatures from some 8,000 scientists—including 49 Nobel laureates, 63 National Medal of Science recipients and 171 members of the National Academies—accusing the current administration of an unprecedented level of political intrusion into their world, seems to be lost on the public at large.

Most don't know or care that he's been working on computer simulations of the Earth’s climate in a effort to understand humanity’s impact upon it since the '70's. There was a time when a man of his expertise, spilling his guts to the NY Times, would have sparked outrage among the electorate.

That he hasn't been fired seems to indicate he's got enough support to carry the day. You didn't provide a link, and I haven't seen what was removed from the report, but Hansen's professional opinion -- his "spin," as I'm sure his detractors would say -- has gotten more pessimistic, more realistic, he says. I'm glad he's out there, still connected to the system, but no firings, no arrests seem imminent for now.

I'm a little confused. The article mentions CDC Director Julie Gerberding, not Hansen. And I can't say I'm familiar with the source, but the article seemed well written, albeit a little, well, short.

Answer 3

Your story is wrong on several points. Hansen works for the White House. They have the responsibility of insuring accuracy of all information that comes from that department.

This story is very old. Before every election Hansen comes out, goes all over the news telling everyone who listens that he's being "muzzled". Calls come out for investigations until the election is over, then this story just dies out until the next election.

Hansen has taken over a million dollars from political PAC's. Don't you think this makes him biased? What if he took that money from Exxon? Would you still believe what he said?

Yes, Hansen is tainted by politics. Global warming is very profitable for him and he should step down from his position.

Answer 4

What puzzles me is, are the folks you speak of really such wing-nuts or are they just paid fossil-fuel industry internet activists?

Fortunately, whoever they are they are losing to the forces of science and reason.