The anti-science attack leveled at Dr. Anthony Fauci by Representative Jim Jordon of Ohio is part of a Republican attack on science that has gone on for decades. Today it raged in the House of Representatives. The chair of the Committee, Maxine Waters (D-CA) had to intervene to tell Jordon to “shut your mouth.”

The attacks on individual scientists and distortion of science are not new. Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway, in their book Merchants of Doubt, discuss recent attacks on scientists such as Rachel Carson. The danger in the attack by Jordon on Dr. Fauci is to sow doubt about one of the nation’s leading and respected researchers in infectious disease. The behavior exhibited by Jordon also questions the significance of democracy and its connection to scientific research. You might want to view the movie, Merchants of Doubt to see anti-science in action.

The goal of anti-science individuals, like Jim Jordon is to cast doubt and question the motives of scientists such as Dr. Fauci. There are quite a few anti-science demagogues in the House and Senate, and they cast doubt on science and scientists every chance they get. Just because they have a PhD or MD at the end of their name doesn’t prevent them from being an asshole. Just ask Senator Ron Paul of Kentucky.

Jordon is not a scientist or a medical doctor, but he is a United States Representative who often speaks too loud, as he did the other day. He can ask any question he wants. However, he can not demand the answer he wants or thinks someone can provide. In this case, he pressed Dr. Anthony Fauci, U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the chief medical advisor to the president. Jordon asked for “objective standards for when certain things get reached—either vaccination or case rates—that would allow Americans “to get back to having our liberty.”

Dr. Fauci responded by saying  “Right now we’re at an unacceptably high level, on a daily basis it’s unacceptably high, regardless of who you are. What you’re going to see is more and more people get vaccinated and we get over 3 million people a day, you’re going to see the level of infection come down and down, and gradually, there will be more flexibility for doing the things you’re talking about.”

Mr. Jordon says “tell me the number.”

Here’s the problem Mr. Jordon. A decision made by the CDC or another organization is not going to based on a number. It will not be based on the percentage of people who are vaccinated, although that will be an important piece of data. It won’t be based on infection rates per 100,000, although that number also be important. The decision won’t necessarily be based on the number of new cases or deaths per day. It won’t be based on the number of hospital beds taken up by COVID patients.

Mr. Jordon, the answer to your question lies in qualitatively making decisions based on data such as those mentioned above, as well as the professional opinions of a team or teams of specialists in infectious disease and health care. You are doubting the science by steadfastly promoting anti-science. You simply don’t have any knowledge about the virus.

Right now, COVID-19 is still spreading in the population. In some states, the spread is at very serious and dangerous levels, such as in Michigan and New Jersey.

For example, here is a graph that shows the 7-Day average for cases in the United States. Notice that the 7-day average is increasing most recently since March 17. The number of infections now is 74,834 average per day. Also note, that 80,609,818 (24.3%) people have been fully vaccinated, with more than 127 thousand (38.5%) with at least once dose. As Dr. Fauci would say, these numbers are important in answering Jordon’s question. But Jorden’s insolence prevents him from seeing that the infection is still spreading in more than 1/2 of the states. Until we reduce the spread, or flatten the curve, we still need to practice mask wearing, social distancing, crowd limitations, and hand washing.

The Jim Jordon’s and Rand Paul’s will continue with their anti-science outbursts in the House and Senate, respectively. Unfortunately, they are denialist’s and are unable to see other views about the present state of the worst pandemic in more than a century. The virus is not going away any time soon. Perhaps never.

Anthony Fauci pushed back on Jordon. Unfortunately, Jordon refuses to realize how decisions are made concerning the recommendations that the CDC will make regarding COVID-19.