Science and Obama's State of the Union war on cynicism
by Michael Halpern from on (#10SF2)
Obama's address was relevant to how knowledge and evidence are used in democracy. Politicians need to spell out how science will inform their decisions
Musician Billy Bragg and President Barack Obama would probably enjoy a beer together. "Cynicism is our great enemy," said Bragg in a 2010 interview. "If we, coming together, can't overcome our cynicism, then there really is no hope. We just might as well pack up and go home."
Tuesday night, in his final State of the Union address, Obama spent the majority of his time detailing his legacy and his vision for the nation. The clarion call came towards the end:
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