Rep. Boehlert is very upset that the Administration is cracking down on government scientists making statements disagreeing with government policy. The latest cause celebre is that of James Hansen, head of the Goddard Institute of Space Studies at NASA, who has said many time that he felt the Administration was not doing enough to combat global warming and who last year used a speech on science to endorse John Kerry for President.

The sounds of disgust from the alarmist camp here should be considered in the light of this illuminating article from former NASA scientist Roy Spencer, who resigned from the agency because he was being stopped from expressing his doubt about the alarmist consensus on global warming. He also has this to say on the balance of views:

If you are concerned about the Administration possibly muting some of its employees’ influence in this area (remember, NASA is part of the executive branch), don’t despair. Our government heavily funds a marching army of climate scientists–government, university, and private–whose funding depends upon manmade global warming remaining a threat. The government agencies, like NASA, that the money flows through also depend upon these issues remaining alive for continued funding.
This is not to suggest that there is a conspiracy going on. It’s merely to point out that climate scientists aren’t always unbiased keepers of truth. The arena of global warming overflows with more strongly held opinions than it does unbiased or scientific truths.

Precisely. It is now hard to say whether this issue is a scientific issue that has become politicized or a political issue that has become scientized. I tend towards the latter view myself.