Scientific research driven by political concerns is good and often useful. What's bad is when governments disregard or sabotage science for political concerns — exactly what Republicans aim to do by condemning "politically motivated" research.

The US operates as a tax haven, along with Jersey, the Cayman Islands, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. This article explains how tax havens work and how they give multinational companies an advantage over local competition.

I disagree with the rhetorical trick that occupies the first part of the article: buying from a company that uses tax havens is not morally equivalent to using a tax haven yourself.

Nonetheless, I have very little dealings with the multinational tax-haven-using companies mentioned as examples. Some I reject for other reasons (Apple, Amazon, Skype, most Google services, Microsoft, Facebook, big banks), while others sell things I don't need.

UK plans to block use of tax havens were watered down so as not to cover Luxembourg, Jersey or Switzerland.

Even worse, the plan creates a new tax-dodging scheme.

The UK government demands that EU countries compete to tax businesses less.

UK pig farmers have joined the call to restrict use of antibiotics on farm animals.

It is big political problem that such businesses can block laws needed for human health, but I am glad they may now support this particular law. However, that's not certain yet. It is well known that businesses sometimes say they support a law while working secretly to block it.

The EU continues pushing to increase surveillance of airplane passengers.

Passengers on domestic or Schengen flights should not be required to identify themselves.

Apple's emails inviting bloggers to distribute through Apple's news disservice claim to impose legal restrictions on them as a side effect.