Disappearing inconvenient data

Via Barry Rithotz at The Big Picture comes Bruce Bartlett’s take on
:

Bruce Bartlett and the dangers of Republican know-nothingism 

Bruce Bartlett goes off on some of the denialist behavior from the GOP. Bartlett writes: When a study doesn’t support their dogma, the GOP censors it: Nonpartisan Tax Report Withdrawn After G.O.P. Protest

Original study still available here: Taxes and the Economy: An Economic Analysis of the Top Tax Rates Since 1945 (PDF)

Bartlett discussed how Republicans destroyed much of Congress’s analytical ability when they took over in 1995: Gingrich and the Destruction of Congressional Expertise
He adds “This is part and parcel with poll denialism, global warming denialism, and the general right wing disdain for facts and reality.”

Note: Before making any kneejerk partisan reaction to this, note that Bartlett — Like Stockman and others — sre not trying to mske a pro-Democrat argument; rather, they are acknowledging a major societal concern when one of the 2 major political parties have foresaken science and reality and facts when they disagree with their agenda.

(Dan here…I am willing to bet this is a non-partisan issue to some extent and age old way of supporting agendas…but if data cannot be trusted to have a bit of independence, where does that leave us?)