Anti-Science Political Hack Named To Run NASA

Unfortunately, enough voters cast ballots for Trump and the anti-science party to make this kind of thing happen again and again and again. We're now moving backwards through the knowledge universe and there's no good reason to expect anything different soon.

"Explaining his interest in space in February at the Commercial Space Transportation Conference in Washington, Bridenstine said: "People often say, 'Why are you so involved in space issues? You don't have any space interests in Oklahoma.' You bet I do. My constituents get killed in tornadoes."

This clown is a real piece of work.

Trumplandia is the most antiscience administration ever, positively awash with unqualified ideologues put in place to please the dogmatic needs of Trump's core "Kulturkampf" supporters.

Btw I first bumped into Bridenstine because he was among the congressional signatories to the amicus curiae brief supporting the Greece v Galloway prayer case (I debated a conservative law prof on it just before the Supreme Court 5-4 favorable ruling). Bridenstine's position on climate change would be virtually a given for that Kulturkampf antievolution demographic, which Greg knows I keep tabs on in my #TIP project on the methodology of creationism, www.tortucan.wordpress.com

#1 " We’re now moving backwards through the knowledge universe and there’s no good reason to expect anything different soon.".
Ummmm nah.Thats more than a touch exceptionalist.
Yanks aint the sole key to knowledge.
Dont you mob ever read any books or papers from Chile or Malaysia or Mexico or RSA or New Zealand or Germany and take on the ideas and science???
Isnt non yank knowledge good enough for yas?
And even within Yankland, very very much good science is done
every day.

#4 - Nevertheless, the US has adopted a role of promoting world scientific progress - up until now. Their leadership has inspired many other countries to keep pushing at the boundaries of human knowledge. Unfortunately, the current attitude of "Don't mind us, we're just heading back to the Dark Ages" has knock-on effects that will affect all of us until we (the rest of the World) get used to the idea of ignoring the US and working around them.

What a vile and sadistic thing for der Donald to do, to nominate someone whose passion is pretty obviously not STEM to head NASA. While his buddy Putin is exhorting returning Russian students to be the masters of AI, der Donald is running around with an over sized USA hat bashing the press and nominating an over achieving air head to lead NASA. Well, look at the bright side. He could have chosen Michelle Bachman for the post. That would have been maybe a little bit worse. Or Sarah Palin.
Jim Inhofe would have been a similarly slightly more destructive choice. But at any rate, there we are.

Today is National Prayer Day per proclamation of der Prez. We can only hope that Mueller puts the cuffs on him before Donnie can strengthen his authoritarian creds with the hyper religious crowd, and reach full blown fascism. Oh, and did I mention that NK appears to have set off another nuke of some kind? Happy National Prayer Day!

Wow! Just Wow!

Bridenstine must have just broken the record for the number of miss-truths spoken in one minute and six seconds.

My irony meter wasn't so much broken as shattered into fermions.

I would sign that petition but would have to lie about being somewhere in the US. Although 'tis true the UK May follow Hawaii and Oregon by becoming another state of the USA, one fittingly named after an aircraft carrier.

Greg, what must be done to get a well organized National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as a truly independent agency of the federal administration of the USA, responsible for the American space program?

#4: I think you've mistaken my windmill for a dragon. I've understood "American exceptionalism" to mean that we in the U. S. assume that we have nothing important to learn from other countries or cultures because our country is so different (and superior). If there is any American exceptionalism in my post it is just the implicit hope that the rest of the world is not following our example of substituting fantasy for science.

I began my post with a sentence on the American election results, expecting that it would therefore be clear that my later statement about "moving backwards" would be interpreted as a purely American movement -- and an extremely regrettable one. I am a citizen of the U. S. A. so of course I am interested and dismayed by what is happening in my country. I am expecting a drying up of the government funding for any science that contradicts the fantasies of significant portions of the Republican Part's base, or even worse, shifting of funding to the pseudoscience that they favor. None of this may mean anything to you in Oz but it means something to me.

#10 Ok. I getcha. I do feel " moving backwards " is a bit strong.
I read the term as if knowledge is somehow being lost. And dont believe that is so. Knowledge is steadily increasing for humanity, and that includes americans, who in fact can access it better than many due to wealth and communications infrastructure.
I certainly agree its a real shame whats happening in your amazing ,dynamic , creative country, in terms of a stiffling of intellect. Saying that, I reckon its transient in nature, and will pass. Perhaps take heart in the fact that Opportunity is still moving about the Martian surface, a testament to your countries abilities. And yas turn out some damn fine WMDs as well.
Sagans well articulated fears will not eventuate.

Today seems like the time to point out that President Trump has been attacking workers' rights and safety guidelines as well. There has already been an immense amount of damage in that area.

I read the title as "Anti-Science Political Hack Named To Ruin NASA"

@13: That title would also have worked.

@ ^ Marco & dean : yes, indeed.

Trump's (s)election has had, is having and will continue to have just catastrophic consequences not just for the United States but for the rest of our world too. This sadly being just exhibit one thousand and one of them. Still such depressing and awful news.

I recall a certain Bart Sibrel demanding an apology from Buzz Aldrin for perpetuating another "hoax". That worked out better than expected.