Maggie's Farm

There's a lot of 'bad' science everywhere and we can thank our government for that because it has become politicized.

Say whatever you want about American Thinker and whether it's a 'conspiracy rag' - I'd argue almost all mainstream media is a 'conspiracy rag' at this point, and I've spent the better part of my life working in it. I've felt that for at least 20 years, and I began feeling that way over 25 years ago.

But the 'bad science' part is still just the issue of politicization and as far as "who started it" goes - I am sure someone will decide we can go round and round about THAT. Reality is once government inserted itself and began making statements, it was politicized.

A simple example - nutrition.
It's just a recommendation, hardly controversial in and of itself, and as such it has developed over time (as science is wont to do).

https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/42215/5831_aib750b_1_.pdf

But people grew up with different standards and beliefs, each time it was changed, and they get to say "but the GOVERNMENT TOLD ME" as if that's meaningful (and to some, it is).

To this day I know people who still brush their teeth with Baking Soda and distilled water. They avoid flouride and toothpaste. Because that's what they were taught.

Habits and beliefs are hard to break. And when you begin telling people things like a vaccine is "95% effective" without defining what "effective" means and what that 95% portion is referring to (as it turns out, not much), you have moved past a recommendation and politicized the science...and as new information comes out, you've discredited the science purely by accident, even when it, perhaps, is fine if it hadn't been overblown.

I'm not sure I blame American Thinker for that. Or anyone else, for that matter, who is following whatever methods they deem best for themselves. The government was out of line from the start on this.