On Friday, news broke that the CDC had received a list of words they are banned from using in reports they release in 2018. The list of seven words includes “fetus,” “transgender,” “vulnerable,” and “evidence-based.” The list is, in a word, comical, but it reflects a trend in American politics, especially within the Republican Party, of cleansing facts and science from political and policy decisions. The CDC’s list, apart from being downright Orwellian, is one of the most overt examples of this phenomenon, but it is far from the only or most consequential example.
Republicans have made their denial of science an integral part of their message for years. They spearheaded efforts to prevent the CDC from even researching gun violence during the 1990s, a move that has prevented the country from having reliable statistics about gun violence, making an informed discussion of the topic liable to accusations of faulty evidence. They have also repeatedly made claims about abortion and fetuses that are disputed by medical organizations. For instance, the recent bill to ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy was justified by the fact that fetuses can feel pain at this point. But most doctors agree that a fetus can’t feel pain until at least 24 weeks when abortion is already generally restricted. These laws not only further stigmatize abortion but make it inaccessible to many women. These conservative lies also often manifest themselves in laws that force doctors to provide incorrect information to women seeking an abortion. For instance, in 7 states doctors must provide pamphlets that suggest a link between abortion and breast cancer, a theory that has been debunked by mainstream science. While science directly contradicts these conservative views, Republicans still reject the value of facts and misinform citizens as a consequence.
Additionally, Republicans have always made their anti-evolution feelings known, and often want to enforce their creationist views on public schools. But the most consequential and glaring example of Republican anti-scientific beliefs is the party’s complete rejection of climate science. Upwards of 97% of environmental scientists believe in climate change, fewer than 15% of Republicans do. This has real effects, in the form of pulling out the Paris Agreement, reducing regulations on coal companies, and eliminating regulations on ozone release. Then, of course, there is Donald Trump who has turned the rejection of fact into an art. From claiming that he did not say things there is a video of him saying to appoint someone who is not a scientist to be the chief scientist at the Department of Agriculture. Throughout the past twenty years, the Republican Party has made the rejection of science and fact core party dogma. So is it any wonder they don’t want the CDC to use the words “evidence-based?” Of course, Democrats have their own demons. The left contains anti-vaxxers and those who are anti-GMO to the point of insanity, but only on the right are these fringe beliefs elevated to the party creed.
The CDC’s list of banned words is shocking, but should it be? In a world where even basic science is disputed, is it any wonder that the ruling party doesn’t want science to influence public policy? The answer is no. Republicans have made the rejection of science so core to their belief set, that only by removing science from the American vocabulary can they retain their power.
Liberal Talking Head 