American scientists take to the streets to protest Trump's cuts
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Why are American scientists protesting against Trump's cuts?
Thanks to at home for joining us this hour. Really happy to have you here this Friday night. I love days like this. I love news days like this. There's so much to show you. Here's Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania today. People turned out to stand up for science. That was the name of the protest. To protest against the Trump administration's indiscriminate cuts to science in all ways. You can see some of the signs here. fight for science, defend the NIH, defunding research is a recession plan. That's actually quite true. Here's a good one. Quote, budget cuts create all kinds of trouble. I had to look that up. Alkynes, A-L-K-Y-N-E-S, alkynes are organic molecules made of the functional group carbon-carbon triple bonds. They are unsaturated hydrocarbons.
What were the standout signs at the science protests?
And budget cuts create all kinds of trouble. Here's another good one in Pittsburgh. Got polio? No? Thanks, science. And you see where it says it's a Berg thing and the Salk vaccine there, the University of Pittsburgh is where Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine. Across the state of Pennsylvania, outside City Hall in Philadelphia, look at this. This was the, I mean, this is impressive. This was the stand up for science crowd outside Philly City Hall today. That's a big, look at that. That's a really big protest. Some good signs at the Philly protest as well. Your policy, defund the NIH, has been rejected by peer review. This is a good one. I feel like this one is special for Susan's birthday today. She loves Beaker from the Muppets. Susan, this happened in Philly today.
This is the only orange Muppet I trust to tell me about science. A version of this sign we saw a few different places today. I love trans mice. All right. I know you didn't listen to Trump's speech to Congress this week. I saw the numbers. It was the least watched Trump state of the union or joint speech to Congress of all the ones he's given. So I know you didn't watch. But one of the things he said in his speech was that one of the terrible liberal things that his top campaign donor had discovered was happening in government was research to make mice transgender. And he said that in his speech, and all the Republicans gasped and laughed and jeered because that was so terrible. Actually, it's transgenic mice.
And transgenic mice are used in all kinds of laboratory research because mice are transgenic mice. when they have been genetically altered so you can study human illnesses and conditions in them even though they're mice. It is transgenic mice, you numbskulls. But sure, go ahead and shut down all the labs studying all the diseases, because what are you, five? This was Boston. There were big crowds today in Boston as well. Stand up for science. Some signs in Boston. No science means no medicine, no tech, no progress, no future. Also this one, cut DNA, not the NIH. Genetics research and experimentation. Of course, because it's Boston, there's a Dunkin' Donuts sign. America runs on science.
How are cities across the U.S. responding to science funding cuts?
In Madison, Wisconsin, local public radio there put the turnout at what they described as more than a thousand at the Stand Up for Science protest at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Ben Wickler said he was there and he thought the crowd was even larger than that. He also singled out his favorite sign in Madison, which was, quote, no science, no cheese. It's Wisconsin. Really, really big crowd turned out in New York City at Washington Square Park to protest against Trump's cuts to science. Look at that. Cold day, cold, windy day today in New York City. Nine out of 10 preventable diseases prefer the GOP. Every disaster movie begins with a politician ignoring science. See the one on the left there?
It was a cold, miserable Chicago winter day today in the Windy City, but people turned out in big numbers in Chicago as well to protest. In addition to all the scientists and supporters and regular people who showed up, they also got some high-level representation from their members of Congress, including Senator Dick Durbin and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
Why are American scientists protesting against Trump's cuts?
0:01–0:52
2
What were the standout signs at the science protests?
0:52–3:36
3
How are cities across the U.S. responding to science funding cuts?
3:36–7:47
4
What other local protests are emerging against Trump's policies?
7:47–10:44
5
How are citizens engaging with their representatives on science and policy issues?
10:44–14:03
6
What are the implications of Trump's administrative changes?
14:03–18:04
7
How is the Trump administration impacting federal scientific and security programs?
18:04–21:42
8
What is the broader impact of these protests and policy changes?
21:42–43:44
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from The Rachel Maddow Show
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