2/3rds of Americans want creationism taught.

What I actually wonder is why creationists need this anyway? I mean, those same 2/3rd Americans who want creationism taught in school are exposed to it every time they enter their respective churches. Why do they need it then repeated in a science classroom? Is their faith so shallow that they fear people learning the "alternatives" in school? Why does the Flying Spaghetti Monster (the one true god..ramen!) and his noodly appendage need the protection of scientific illiterates?I would say that over 2/3rds of Americans don't even know what science is to begin with. Continuing an assault on the education system will just make an even larger portion of the US intellectually like a pre-industrial society.

There are a lot of problems with these types of polls..especially how the questions are phrased and what the background of the people might be. For example, how many of the 2/3rds of Americans even know what the ToE states? From my experience on this board it would be none of them.

Unfortunately, I don't think America is isolated in this case. There is a strong creationist/IDist movement in Germany as well. Possibly even worse because one of the biggest name microbiology professors in Munich is an IDist and he has influence over school text books.I also doubt that the Bush admin is the first to manipulate, disregard, or lie about scientific results. They are novel in not trying to conceal it (unless you call the retarded propaganda they use concealment). Industry will always have a strong motivation to conceal or deny scientific results if it hurts their profits..look at the tobacco industry. If the admin is in their sphere of influence, it will become a branch of their propaganda/advertising department.I think the problem is cumulative. An increasingly uninformed public leaves any administration open to do whatever they want without justification or fear of being questioned.I would have to see the numbers of the total number of US citizens who are achieving advanced degrees in science over several decades before I would conclude that there has been such a tectonic shift in the US...or a dramatic decrease in scientific competitiveness...if this starts to appear over the next decade then your sci-fi novels plot may come to pass.

I really hope you are right paisano. I certainly know enough republicans who are not social conservatives but do not see an alternative to voting republican.I think the problem for the industry groups is that they might make a short term profit based on shoddy science and ignore the longer term consequences until it is too late and the US advantage in science is eliminated. It is much harder to establish such an advantage and maintain it than to lose it...but I am still hopeful that you are right in your assessment.