Plagued with scandals and other baggage, today DeLay announced that he's giving up.
Usually I've steered clear of pure political talk on my blog, although those of you who know me personally know that I've been politically active. Well with DeLay's announcement I have a story to tell - and it's connected to science, or to be precise NIH funding.
Back during the "Contract with America" years the NIH was in desperate need of funding. The Republicans, in full starve the beast mode, campaigned to slash government spending on frivolous spending items such as Government sponsored research. Numerous scientists and science organizations started to lobby Congress to boost funding to biomedical sciences. One key member of congress that held much power then as up until today was Tom DeLay. In the early years of "Contract with America" a certain scientist from DeLay's hometown of Houston tried to lobby DeLay, but the congressman was inaccessible.
Finally one day as this Scientist was flying from DC to Houston, who did he sit down next to in the plane? You guessed it, Tom DeLay.
After a long discussion about, Houston, the MD Andersen Cancer Clinic and other topics, the scientist brought up NIH funding. DeLay, visibly uncomfortable with the subject told the Scientist that the GOP could not support the NIH due to the lack of religious values on the part of most scientists. Yes that's what he said.
Well the scientist became good friends with DeLay and due in part to that and the fact that Harold Varmus did an incredible job lobbying Congress, most house reps and Senators, regardless of their party affiliations became staunch supporters of the NIH. (Also lobbying from big Pharma didn't hurt).
But you see the lesson folks is that things move only when you go out there and shake things up. Yes there is a lot of misconception but these ideas are not set in stone. To his credit, DeLay became a big supporter of the NIH.
Having said all that, we must all come together to lobby the current Congress to support science funding, including that of the NIH. At the risk of sounding like a broken record player, click here to find out how to contact your house rep to lobby him/her for an increase to the NIH's 2007 budget.
More info on this subject at evolgen and at respectful insolence and on a previous transcript post.
Is this a defence of that dck hd?
No - I just wanted to share this story. These people in power (like many Americans) are filled with ... not-so-rational thoughts. But if we can brake through the mental barrier and really explain what it's all about, I think we have a good chance of making them understand, appreciate and support our endevours.
There are some (IDers) that have an agenda, but in the end those in power want to stay in power and CAN be convinced that supporting certain causes, such as science, is in their best interest.
Note that DeLay was happy to talk about the MD Andersen Cancer center. But for biologists in general he reverted to "those bad atheists" - we have to reframe (to use George Lakoff's terminology) the issue - from religion to progress.
"those bad atheists"
I'm not surprised. It always comes down to how bad atheists are.
BTW George Lakoff's book Don't Think of an Elephant is an excellent read: http://www.chelseagreen.com/2004/items/elephant