What are the uses of Science and technology to politicians?

My answer on Quora.

There are two ways to answer this question. I will offer both. The first is what they should be used for (Positive) , the second is the arena that politicians driven by less than honorable have unfortunately taken science into (the Negative).

Positive Uses

• Informing decision on complex issues where many stakeholders are involved;
• Using it to drive policy that will likely improve the living conditions for many;
• debunking irrational thought;
• safeguarding the population against legitimate threats both external and internal.

Negative uses

• generating fear to promote a specific political agenda;
• misinterpreting it to shut down dissenting voices;
• overextending scientific conclusions into regions beyond its scope of interpretation;
• disregarding empirical evidence that contradicts the science;
• using it to snoop on people’s privacy for no immediate concern;
• minimizing the environmental impact of technology to oversell its economic utility;
• Using it as a weapon against certain segments of the population.