The 'our bosses ain't do ****, so let's take their jobs' mentality. Digging the revolution.
I definitely do believe that more academics, especially scientists need to hold elected offices.
As far as the relationship between the United States government and scientists is concerned, we can divide it into three historical era.
1789-1941: The federal government did not need much active consultation with scientists. The federal government issued patents and copy rights to encourage innovation. The federal and state governments promoted education and the US military had a keen interest in engineering. However, there was no ta huge need for scientific consultation among elected officials.
1941-2001: World War II Starts, we have nuclear arms race, we establish more and scientific methods of agriculture, environmentalism develops, we have a department of energy, the State assumes more responsibility for keeping people health and safe. Now our lawmakers and Presidents need much more input from scientists and they sought it out and American academics were happy to help. Republicans and Democrats listen to their advisers.
2001: We need scientific advice more than ever but two big things change. The Fossil fuel industry needs to deny climate change. More broadly, the conservative movement foments more and more anti expertise. Evangelical Christianity, cultural tribalism, the demonizing of education, an aversion to "cultural elites" and a sclerotic media all create climate where about half of the Country becomes hostile to facts.
Given this political climate, scientists need to become the politicians who cast the Congressional votes themselves. It is not an ideal set up but it is better than the status quo. A better set up is that the politicians do what they usually did 50 years ago and took guys from MIT more seriously than a John Birch Society Pamphlet.
