Policy & Ethics

When it comes to basic human rights in the US, it's no longer a matter of whether we've regressed, but just how far.
Masking, indeed, has been shown, in meta-analysis, to be effective in preventing disease, especially in the absence of other available responses like drugs and vaccines.
America continues to lead the world in science and technology, but this is hardly a God-given right.
We shouldn’t be surprised: the specters of ghosting agency scientific and technical determinations have been wafting about for some time:
Introducing a computer screen and the electronic health record (EHR) between physicians and patients has resulted in physicians spending far more time physically and mentally responding to those screens than patients.
The Court’s ruling in Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. NRDC was clear:
Taxes alter consumer behavior. The more something is taxed, the less of it we get. Knowing this, governments use taxes to encourage or discourage behavior.
Welcome to California, the Wild West - geographically and otherwise. Especially when it comes to science.
Breaking legal barriers seems to be about to change.
California's "Polluters Pay Climate Cost Recovery Act of 2024," also known as Senate Bill 1497, would supposedly hold fossil fuel polluters accountable for the climate damages caused by their products.