The Trumpian war on science, culture, and checks and balances on executive power is eagerly, and rapidly, repeating the worst mistakes of past autocracies.

Today's politicians look at science with thinly veiled contempt. This is why they shouldn't be in charge of micromanaging its goals and funding.

Having the public vote on what science gets funded and why to fix the issues with how grants are given out is an idea only a politician could love and would be disastrous in practice.