Anti-Science as Political Virtue

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cocktail-party-physics/2011/09/07/guest-post-how-old-is-the-earth-who-knows/

I just don’t get it. Why are the Republicans so committed to publicly denying science as a methodology. Didn’t this get handled in the 16th century? Since when did it become a virtue to be a public official who doubts the fruits of method. You think denying what you’re uncomfortable with is going to keep other economies from overtaking us?