Category: Denialists’ Deck of Cards
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Lead Industry & the Deck of Cards
Helen Epstein has an interesting review of Lead Wars: The Politics of Science and the Fate of America’s Children by Gerald Markowitz and David Rosner, in the current New York Review of Books. The review is worth reading to better understand the public policy problem of lead in products and the environment. But I cannot…
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Here Comes the Downturn Denialism
We have not played with the Denialists’ Deck of Cards for some time! Let’s pick them up again, because the economic downturn gives all sorts of businesses the opportunity to play the “Bear Market” card. Stephen Power brings it in today’s Wall Street Journal: “We know something needs to be done [to cut emissions], but…
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Sexism or just idiocy from Cato?
I’m flattered that Pandagon liked our post on a terrible ad campaign for diamonds. But if Amanda thought that was bad, she should see some of the latest “reason” coming from our libertarian friends at Cato. David Boaz writes a post for Cato entitled “All Those Who’d Like to Live in Rwanda, Vietnam, or Cuba,…
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Toxins!
I’d love to see what the angry toxicologist thinks of this scary article from CNN Tests reveal high chemical levels in kids’ bodies. Michelle Hammond and Jeremiah Holland were intrigued when a friend at the Oakland Tribune asked them and their two young children to take part in a cutting-edge study to measure the industrial…
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Wiley Miller on think tanks
I’m loving the Non Sequiturs about Danae setting up her think tank. I think Wiley must be reading the blog. Stop lurking and show yourself!
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A cartoon summary of the Denialist Deck of Cards
PZ has found this wonderful cartoon that I think sums up the problem nicely. Danae should go to work for AEI or Cato!
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Denialist Deck Applied: PRISM
It’s that time again. Bora’s got the scoop on this new organization PRISM (Partnership for Research Integrity in Science & Medicine). They purport to be the saviors of scientific publishing, protecting us from the evil of open access. But how much do you want to bet they’re the same old industry lobbying group, disguising themselves…
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Denialists’ Deck of Cards: The Ace of Spades, “We’ll Lose Money!”
And finally, we come to the final card. Perhaps industry’s strongest card–“we’ll lose money”–is not really denialism, but it is what motivates so much of the bad rhetoric in public policy debates. And of course, the truth is more nuanced. Proposals for reform create new opportunities, and many businesses have thrived under the very proposals…
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Denialists’ Deck of Cards: The Ace of Diamonds, “Communism!”
Suricou Raven guessed it–after calling your opponent “Unamerican,” you call them “Communist.” Here, use loaded phrases, such as “the proposal smacks of the paternalistic ‘command and control’ of Communism.”
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Denialists’ Deck of Cards: The Ace of Hearts, “Unamerican!”
Almost any proposal can be styled as “Un-American.” Typically this is bundled with wild, inaccurate claims about European regulations (i.e., you can’t do business in Europe at all). You’ll wonder if the denialist has even been to Europe! Update: Mark H provides this article as an example of “Unamerican” in today’s Wall Street Journal. It…