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Good resp to Bhattacharya, noting the agenda of The Spectator. When we rebut Trump attacks on science it’s good to talk about his agenda and the agenda backing him—he was selected for the job by donors who want to privatize federal funding and use science as a wedge issue to get votes for thr side.

The donors paid and elevated Bhattacharya because he was willing to say things to help those agendas. And exposing agenda works. The US set up a whole system in the 1930s to fight Nazi propaganda, not by banning it or rebutting it, but by forcing anyone paid by the Nazis to disclose those ties.

FARA is that law: “FARA does not prohibit lobbying for foreign interests, nor does it ban or restrict any specific activities. Its explicit purpose is to promote transparency with respect to foreign influence over American public opinion…” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign...

Transparency about agendas is effective at countering lies and distortion. This is why the same donors that back Bhattacharya—via the judges on the Supreme Court the same donors picked—blocked transparency of nonprofit funding in AFP (Koch foundation) v Bonta, etc.

This is related. Yes, Bari Weiss’ career rests on serious people treating her with respect — not talking about her agenda, and the donors that have backed her. For ex, her junk university was funded by billionaires who hate universities. Fixing this means people like us not taking her seriously.