Re: Scientists' March on Washington
Posted by Chris in Tampa on 1/25/2017, 11:36 pm
I don't really think he thinks ahead. He can't get over the election he won. The wall would at least be twenty plus billion probably, plus ongoing maintenance and personnel. And of course, unless he wants to start a trade war, cut off aid that helps fight the drug war or steal money from Mexicans sending money back which is unconstitutional, Americans are going to pay for the wall. He's using an executive order to start the wall and some Homeland Security funds to get it going, so we probably will see the wall now. They'll get started, hire a lot of people and get enough into it that Congress may go along with it. Taxes are not going up, the republican Congress is all for lowering them, so I would imagine some science related areas are getting cut. He has seemed to like NASA, though I think he will refocus on the moon rather than Mars or an asteroid. He's just getting started, and his people have a lot of assessing to do. It might be months before we have a better idea of what survives. I wonder what will happen to the private space companies. He is a businessman, so maybe they'll continue to do the work, though I wonder if he might have NASA take back over some of that. I also wonder about all the satellites in development. Those are some big ticket items that I don't know if the new administration would appreciate as much. EPA is probably going to be gutted. I think climate science across the board is gone too. I can't see them investing in something they don't believe is true when they have all the power.

I would think hurricane forecasting and research would probably do pretty well still. Forgetting the importance, it's bad PR to mess with that stuff. Bush and Katrina are forever linked. I don't know about the rest of NOAA. I think there would be a lot of push back if they tried to close or reduce staff at forecast offices.

I look at NOAA's website and it says:

12,000
Total number of NOAA personnel worldwide
Dedicated to the understanding and stewardship of the environment.


http://www.noaa.gov/about-our-agency

And...

9
Key focus areas


Which are:

Weather
Climate
Oceans & Coasts
Fisheries
Satellites
Research
Marine & Aviation
Charting
Sanctuaries


Climate, Oceans & Coasts, Research and Sanctuaries are all probably in trouble. Satellites perhaps too.

I'm just concerned about all the people in school right now who may want to be scientists. That's not going to be a very popular things over the next 4 years. I think they are going to constantly be under attack.
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EPA banned from providing updates on social media and talking to reporters - Chris in Tampa, 1/24/2017, 3:45 pm
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