Science does not have it own money. Science is beholden to Government, Business and Private donations for the money and resources needed to do science. Go to any major science publication, and ask them how many scientists, who have publish in their journal, use their own money to buy resources? The answer will be close to zero. What that means is the money people, who fund science have a lot say as to what can be done, and what will not be done or said.
If anyone is able to get hooked into one of these large money streams, publishing is almost automatic. The preponderance of evidence can bought and paid for by these money givers by making this automatic. They have a say into how they wish to control the data narrative. If you work for a tobacco company, as a scientist, you will still do good science, but it has a trajectory with the needs of the company, that pays your salary and who owns your lab. University work the same way; middle men in the money stream.
COVID was Big bucks, with a capital "big". To get some of these big bucks for science, you had to play ball with the CDC; Bureaucratic state, who had all this money to burn. The gravy train needed to stay on a given track for this free ride to perpetuate. This is why anything that could be seen as a permanent or cheap solution was taboo, since cheap or permanent would mean less need to justify gravy train waste.
During COVID, if you treated people as adults and offered health guidelines, but allowed things to get back to normal; Florida's schools and business, there would be less need for Big Government Money. That money will be more needed by the states who created all type of problems for their citizens. Not able to work or not able to go to school means you need to be supported. It is strange reward system but this is how Washington works; waste comes first.
Those who were trying to be truthful and efficient, will be frowned upon, since they risk derailing the gravy train. Fauci was given an open check and to get resources for your university, you needed to follow his lead, which was also follow the Lead of those in power.
The way I see it was, Trump had the economy humming just before COVID hit. The Democrats, who had just failed their coup; Russian Collusion was debunked, needed to another way to undermine Trump before 2020. The opportunity came to ruin his booming economy. This would help them in 2020. They went into Big Bother mode, due to COVID, shutting down half the country, in Democrats run states. This justified the larger gravity train. This train also included resources for science, which had to toe the "need" line, to get on the train.
The consensus of science, behind climate change is another example of a gravy train. With enough money and control over who gets the money; protest all alternate views, any emperors new clothes; idea, will look shiny with sparkles.
What we are now learning now is how Universities and science sold its soul for the CDC resources. This happened in universities, businesses and government agencies, which tell you the power of money holders in science. The pendulum is starting to swing from Big Brother, back to freedom of speech. This may not be in the best interests of all those who over indulged in gravy.
