What can we do to put scientific analysis back into policy making?

Our laws are made by politicians, who pander to special interest groups. Congress typically settles on the compromised concepts of several varying points of view, rather than on what's most accurate or best for the country, a function of their usually law- or diplomacy-based education.

Our executive branch makes decisions based on conservative christian viewpoints, and has dissolved the budget for the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment, which provided advice to our lawmakers on how to interpret complex science and technolgy.

What can we do to better assure that the decisions our government makes will be based on scientific fact, and not politics?

Just to be clear, I'm not only talking about scientists in lab coats speaking to congress about climate change. For instance, it might have been nifty if the Bush Administration had consulted some historians and sociologists prior to invading a country that had such a long history of sectarian conflict. They might have gained some insight.

Two things. One--for the time being--is vote Democrat, simply because the situation is only going to get wors until the right-wing and their policy of substituting religious fanaticism for facts are out of office.

But the Democrats are as likely to substitute their own ideology if not held in check. The only real cure is to be active in writing, e-mailing your representatives--doing what you can to make them aware that you want sound, rational decision-making, not ideological sound-bytes and pork-barrel spending.

Hasn't science been outlawed by Christianity?

When you've got people involved, not every decision is based upon scientific evidence. Politicians are dealing with people and take that into consideration.

According to your thinking, maybe the next Presidential election should be between Microsoft and Intel.

Get the right wing "Christians" out of the White House is a good start.

During the natonal guard equiptment "shortage" in Kansas, the Brookings Institute defended the current policies. I'd say scientific analysis is around. Just out of sight.

Scientific analysis is by it's nature, data driven. Your arguement presents none. You will please note that the conservative mindset in our Whitehouse has yielded the following results: When things blow up, it is not here on American soil, The economy and market are in good shape,, unemployment is low. If not these data, what would be your metric for success?

What can 'we' do? Democracy is not a scientific principle; it is a compromise guaranteeing irrationality. There is no way to 'balance' politics (opinion) and science (fact), they are diametrically opposed. Rational is not a matter of opinion.

I wondered why these people pass laws that they haven't even read nor studied the consequences. It has been very obvious since Bush became president. Why has our congress allowed this? It not only makes them ineffectual, it makes complete fools of them. And who suffers for this complete stupidity?

How can you govern 300 million people without reliable statistics and studies on their effects? By intuition and voices in your head? I believe this Congressional Office of Technology Assessment should be reinstated as the first order of business. Thanks for pointing that out. I was beginning to think they were all on drugs.

You're mystical "science can fix everything" is a bogus belief that anything outside of science like, law, love, logic, etc., is anti-intellectual.

What YOU really want is another bureaucratic department of elitists to tell people how to live. What the hell is up with you socialist control freaks. How come people of faith are the brave, courageous, pioneers, who love freedom and you control freaks live in fear of your shadow.

The Christian principles that this nation is built on has given us the greatest freedoms ever known to mankind. Quit using your cloak of "science" to disguise your need for control!