The right wing has a strong vested interest in, and a strong track record of seeking to undermine expert scientific, medical and economic opinion. For the most part, that opinion is heavily weighted against the privileged greed of the right wing's puppet masters (eg the clear economic evidence against any benefits (to the vast majority) of trickle down; the undeniable weight of scientific evidence for climate change and the looming disaster that presents). At every turn, complex but well evidenced expert opinion is attacked and denied, so that they can sell their simple carnie spiel to people who don't understand the evidence, and who are being (and have been) trained for a long time to dismiss experts as part of a non-existent global conspiracy.
Denying the existence of the y2k threat is just another example of that brainwashing agenda.
Could there be any greater conceit, than for someone to believe that the universe has to be simple enough for them to be able to understand it ?