gold standard science

work note

During an All In discussion about government and science, the idea of bringing back a gold standard in science came up. It was meant seriously, but the phrase sounded almost custom made for Trump. He is in a position to pursue it, and his obsession with gold makes the wording impossible to hear only one way. That was enough to make the idea click: a meaningful proposal about improving science, filtered through a man who might hear "gold standard" and focus on the gold.