I cannot think of a better illustration of why progressive politicians should be prohibited from making public policy based on so-called pseudo-scientific “research” and a political agenda.

No I am not speaking about global warming and corruption within the scientific establishment or the perversion of science itself to promote self-serving political agendas.

I am speaking of the sheer stupidity of the politicians who criminalized the act of stating a scientific fact.

According to London’s Telegraph …

“EU bans claim that water can prevent dehydration”

“Brussels bureaucrats were ridiculed yesterday after banning drink manufacturers from claiming that water can prevent dehydration.”

“EU officials concluded that, following a three-year investigation, there was no evidence to prove the previously undisputed fact.

Two years in jail if you claim water prevents dehydration …

“Producers of bottled water are now forbidden by law from making the claim and will face a two-year jail sentence if they defy the edict, which comes into force in the UK next month.”

“Stupidity writ large” …

“Last night, critics claimed the EU was at odds with both science and common sense. Conservative MEP Roger Helmer said: ‘This is stupidity writ large.’”

“’The euro is burning, the EU is falling apart and yet here they are: highly-paid, highly-pensioned officials worrying about the obvious qualities of water and trying to deny us the right to say what is patently true. ‘”

Scientists?

“A meeting of 21 scientists in Parma, Italy, concluded that reduced water content in the body was a symptom of dehydration and not something that drinking water could subsequently control.”

“Now the EFSA [European Food Standards Authority ] verdict has been turned into an EU directive which was issued on Wednesday.”

Twenty-one scientists whose whack-job opinion is accepted by stupid politicians can now result in criminal penalties is absolutely insane.

About as insane as dictating a massive increase in the size of government, drastically increasing tax revenues, reducing the amount of energy generated and used by a growing industrial culture and reducing the personal liberties of citizens based on the opinions of a relatively few scientists and less than 50 trees located in Russia.

"Spend three years, with 20 separate pieces of correspondence before summoning 21 professors to Parma where they decide with great solemnity that drinking water cannot be sold as a way to combat dehydration.”

“Then they make this judgment law and make it clear that if anybody dares sell water claiming that it is effective against dehydration they could get into serious legal bother.”

Put ten professors in a room and you have at least twelve opinions all with deniability disclaimers …

“Professor Brian Ratcliffe, spokesman for the Nutrition Society, said dehydration was usually caused by a clinical condition and that one could remain adequately hydrated without drinking water.”

Bottom line …

Perhaps we should examine this finding from two perspectives.

The scientific perspective which illustrates a fundamental fact about scientists and especially college professors who present themselves as scientists …

An expert is a person who studies hard and concentrates on his niche area – until he begins to know more and more about less and less … until the end result is that he knows everything about nothing.

And the political perspective which illustrates the political reality of today’s society.

We must ask ourselves who lobbied for this insane ruling and what was its cost in terms of campaign funding, voter support or in-kind services like the employment of friends and relatives?

Since the ruling applies to bottled water, I can easily imagine that those who make faucet tap water purifiers would want to stifle the bottled water business.

But all silliness aside, this type of political action based on pseudo-scientific pronouncements from learned and credentialed people is a clear and present danger to our society. We can plainly see that our climate and our daily weather is governed by natural factors beyond our control. If we are about cleaning up air, water and ground pollution, that is an admirable task for a society who wants to be good stewards of God’s natural resources. However, the cause is not served by allowing politicians to promote a toxic agenda based on pseudo-science … and especially not by granting indulgences to gross polluters to continue polluting if they pay higher taxes and purchase wealth-redistribution trees in outer crapistan.

Enough is enough. We need to elect “honest brokers” to serve “We the People,” not create a class of pampered and well-compensated overlords who can dictate how free men live.

We need to remove progressives and their socialist policies from political life – lest we turn into the socialist fiasco that has become Europe.

-- steve

“The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” -- Marcus Aurelius

Reference Links …

EU bans claim that water can prevent dehydration - Telegraph