The meta-coverage of the world of doublespeak and “alternative facts” continues. WaPo’s Margaret Sullivan suggests that the gall of new Press Secretary Sean Spicer to “brazenly lie to the media in his first official briefing” has killed traditional presidential reporting. But Politico’s Jack Shafer sees it a little differently, contending that “Extraordinary times like these call for normal measures: The meticulous, aggressive and calm presentation of the news.” He names David Fahrenthold, the WaPo reporter who used Twitter to dig up the self-dealing details of Donald Trump’s supposedly charitable foundation, as the model for reporters to follow.
Shafer also points to a piece about Obama’s much more subtle and less “alternative” mastery of media manipulation, written by Jim Vandehei and Mike Allen, back when they ran Politico. What are those two up to now? Funny you should ask!
These days they’re running a new sort of media operation, a company known as Axios. You may have just heard about them, specifically their “sneaky look” at the new EPA “agency action” plan. The document, written by CEI’s Myron Ebell, recommends some rather startling actions along the “sound science” lines we’ve seen before (the term itself was popularized by the tobacco industry). But more shocking is the suggestion that the EPA shouldn’t fund any scientific research, which would be a major blow to public health, among other things.
That said, Axios provides some context from a Republican who notes that this is “a think-tank wish list” and not a statement of intentions from the administration. And on top of that, something often overlooked in the panicked coverage of Trump’s executive order authority (which we hear might turn to climate and environment today, so be warned) is that it’s not as easy as signing an order and sending the Clean Power Plan or other regulations down the memory hole.
Rather, these executive actions must be justified with scientific reasoning. Granted that Trump’s Ministry of Truth will deploy “alternative facts” to try and justify its decisions, but those are not apt to stand up in court. For example, the social cost of carbon is a major target. But two efforts to lower it last year failed in federal and state courts, setting a promising precedent for future efforts.
Aside from a hiring freeze and website make-over (which are both standard transition fare), Trump is poised start taking on the federal bureaucracy and climate is, of course, in the crosshairs. But the 2.1 million federal employees across the country, and their congressional representatives, aren’t going to go without a fight. Beyond the bureaucratic resistance from within, expect every move Trump makes to be challenged in courts for years on end.
But there is still plenty Trump can do from his position as Big Brother. For those wondering look no further than Canada, which under Stephen Harper experienced a number of attacks on science. From muzzling researchers to literally shuttering libraries and throwing books into dumpsters, threats are significant. And the muzzling has begun at the USDA and EPA.
So as the US cedes climate leadership to former laggards like China and India, we will remain vigilant. Efforts by the NRDC and Columbia Law School to track Trump’s deregulation efforts are a great start. And the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund’s pocket guide for scientists facing political and legal harassment is required reading for the scientists among you.
In the spirit of alternative facts, we’ll end by reminding you to cheer up and remember, all’s well that’s Orwell.
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