Ex-Surgeon General Was Muzzled By Bush Admin

The first Surgeon General appointed by Bush II has revealed that he was muzzled by political flacks within the administration and prevented from discussing the scientific issues regarding stem cell research, contraceptives and other such issues.

"Anything that doesn't fit into the political appointees' ideological, theological or political agenda is ignored, marginalized or simply buried," Dr. Richard Carmona, who served as the nation's top doctor from 2002 until 2006, told a House of Representatives committee.

"The problem with this approach is that in public health, as in a democracy, there is nothing worse than ignoring science, or marginalizing the voice of science for reasons driven by changing political winds. The job of surgeon general is to be the doctor of the nation, not the doctor of a political party," Carmona added.

This testimony, and the problem it outlines, is exactly consistent with similar issues raised by NASA scientists about how their research on global warming was suppressed or edited (by a non-scientist, yet). This administration is the closest thing to a theocracy we have had. They are afraid to allow the facts to get in the way of their religious/political orthodoxy.