Another target of the assault of the administration is this thing called “the administrative state”. It is difficult to say exactly what the administrative state is, apart from a hood for all that conservative ideologues do not like in the government. The problem is, of course, that the administrative state is really the functioning of a functional democratic government, and most of the government is to administer things that are very difficult to reduce: the Ministry of Defense, but also things such as air traffic management, nuclear security, etc. Contracts are much easier to reduce with external suppliers, in particular those whose advantages accumulate to future generations. In short: scientific funding was the victim of the preservatives to carry out violence against a diabolical bureaucracy.
Currently, we only see the short -term consequence of the republican war against science: projects are canceled and funding is refused, individual careers are broken, research institutions are reduced and scientists drain Outside the country for security shelters around the world. The long -term consequences of Trump’s war against science are probably much more serious.
What can we do about it now? The congress could stop this, but of course, it will not be as long as Maga holds the hostage of the republican majority. The courts slow down a game, but they will not change the overall direction alone. Private actors And foundations Can intervene to cover certain gaps, but their efforts are likely to go to dressings.