Yuval Levin's "science"

[Photo of Yuval Levin]

Wingnuts on the right always seem to turn things upside down.

Yuval Levin, formerly executive director of the President's Council of Bioethics, is connected to the right-wing think tank, the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

Yuval Levin is one of those Bushites who thinks science should be defined by ideology and not the other way around.

He is currently concerned that Barack Obama might overturn the ban on embryonic stem-cell research. Bush, says Levin, put that ban in place "to balance the need to advance science with the need to respect human life."

Levin is also worried that Obama plans to make "radical changes" in abortion law, like sign the Freedom of Choice Act. This, Levin claims would "basically overturn all restrictions and limitations on the practice of abortion at the federal and state levels -- including parental notification requirements for minors, including physician conscience protections for pro-life doctors who don't want to be fired for refusing to perform an abortion."

Ah, the possibilities. They weigh heavily on the minds of rightists like Levin. In a new book, Imagining the Future: Science and American Democracy, Levin lays out what he believes to be the most important science questions for the U.S. to consider. You can guess what these include: stem-cell research, abortion, and global warming.

Here's how he turns it all upside down: In dealing with these issues, we must set up "life-respecting guidelines for science."


That is baloney. It is the same old argument the Bushites have used to rewrite the findings of scientists for the past eight years. It operates from the position that if you don't like what scientists find with regard to global warming, you simply eliminate those conclusions and write your own report. Thus, "geniuses" like Sarah Palin can argue that human activity is not a cause of global warming.

Levin is supposed to be a scientist. But he is really an idealogue in scientist clothing. In his mind, science must conform to rightwing ideology and theology. Science cannot be allowed to roam free for it might come to conclusions which would question and even falsify his "life-respecting guidelines," said guidelines being derived not from scientific investigation but from a religious or political philosophy.


Given his predeliction to corral science into his wingnuttery box, he should be worried. Methinks that Obama's gonna crack that box wide open and allow reality to reign in our government for the first time in a long time.

Fresh air at last!


For your consideration: Here's a hit piece Levin did on Michelle Obama. Nasty!