GUEST OPINION: Exposing the “Merchants of Doubt”

[Omaha Steve]

http://iowadailydemocrat.com/news/2015/10/exposing-the-merchants-of-doubt/


"Merchants of Doubt" film poster. Licensed under Fair Use.

By Tim DeLong10/28/15

Those of us of retirement age or older remember the battles between the scientific community and Big Tobacco…and the latter’s constant refrain of “we need more research” and “the science is not settled.” The movie “Merchants of Doubt” (based on the book by the same name) is a powerful documentary from the award-winning director of “Food Inc.” and tells the story of how a group of high-level scientists and scientific advisers, with deep connections in GOP politics, the tobacco, and the fossil fuel industries, ran effective campaigns to mislead the public and deny well-established scientific knowledge over four decades. Several of the same individuals who claimed the science of global warming is “not settled” also denied the truth about studies linking smoking to lung cancer, coal smoke to acid rain, and CFCs to the ozone hole. As one tobacco executive is quoted as early as 1969…”doubt is our product.” These “experts” supplied it. As this documentary clearly demonstrates, this group of deniers is very expert at what they do…the best money can buy! This is an important book and movie!

Enter the Heartland Institute and the GOP

The Heartland Institute is an American conservative and libertarian public policy think tank. It is a primary American supporter of climate change denial. It regularly rejects the scientific consensus that global warming poses a significant danger to the planet and that human activity is driving it … and that policies to fight it would damage the economy.

Heartland’s main claim to fame (prior to their current climate change denial efforts) was working with Philip Morris to spread doubt as to the link between cigarettes and cancer in spite of overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary. The result of this very effective and well-funded effort was to delay legislation designed to warn people of the risks of smoking. This delaying effort made millions for Philip Morris and Big Tobacco but was responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands (or more) of unsuspecting American smokers.

FULL story at link.