Comments on: Congress hates science, too http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/19/congress-hates-science-too/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:02:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: JediBear http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/19/congress-hates-science-too/#comment-60312 JediBear Sun, 23 Dec 2007 09:39:40 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/19/congress-hates-science-too/#comment-60312 We have what's called a two-party system. While meaningfully better than a one-party system, it does have the effect that no third party has a reasonable chance of sucess in a national election. (When introduced, a third party does nothing more than "spoil" votes that would otherwise have been cast for the most ideologically similar of the major parties) Changing this would require serious election reform. We have what’s called a two-party system. While meaningfully better than a one-party system, it does have the effect that no third party has a reasonable chance of sucess in a national election. (When introduced, a third party does nothing more than “spoil” votes that would otherwise have been cast for the most ideologically similar of the major parties) Changing this would require serious election reform.

]]> By: Barton Paul Levenson http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/19/congress-hates-science-too/#comment-60311 Barton Paul Levenson Sat, 22 Dec 2007 12:19:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/19/congress-hates-science-too/#comment-60311 Psychman writes: [[<i> Except for dramatic events and crises, the government continues essentially the same policies regardless of who has the power.</i>]] It makes a difference who controls the government, especially if you are trying to get an abortion (judicial appointments and state laws), trying to get cash assistance when you can't find a job (federal, state and local laws), or might be drafted to fight overseas (federal). Who gets in really does matter. Psychman writes:

[[ Except for dramatic events and crises, the government continues essentially the same policies regardless of who has the power.]]

It makes a difference who controls the government, especially if you are trying to get an abortion (judicial appointments and state laws), trying to get cash assistance when you can’t find a job (federal, state and local laws), or might be drafted to fight overseas (federal). Who gets in really does matter.

]]> By: Martin Doms http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/19/congress-hates-science-too/#comment-60310 Martin Doms Sat, 22 Dec 2007 08:32:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/19/congress-hates-science-too/#comment-60310 The fusion project lost about 10% of its funding. Very disappointing. The fusion project lost about 10% of its funding. Very disappointing.

]]> By: The Centipede http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/19/congress-hates-science-too/#comment-60309 The Centipede Fri, 21 Dec 2007 18:04:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/19/congress-hates-science-too/#comment-60309 Psychman: Republicans are better! They clean the hair! NO! Democrats are better! They go on after, making the hair silky and smooth! People like simplifying a complex world so their simple monkey brains can comprehend it better. Black and white, yin and yang, good and evil, active and passive, chocolate and vanilla, communist and capitalist, altruist or egoist. The infinite gradiations of reality are mind-boggling, and so everything must be racked, stacked, and categorized for our limited minds to cope. STOP LOOKING AT ME, SWAN! Psychman:

Republicans are better! They clean the hair! NO! Democrats are better! They go on after, making the hair silky and smooth!

People like simplifying a complex world so their simple monkey brains can comprehend it better. Black and white, yin and yang, good and evil, active and passive, chocolate and vanilla, communist and capitalist, altruist or egoist. The infinite gradiations of reality are mind-boggling, and so everything must be racked, stacked, and categorized for our limited minds to cope.

STOP LOOKING AT ME, SWAN!

]]> By: Psychman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/19/congress-hates-science-too/#comment-60308 Psychman Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:45:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/19/congress-hates-science-too/#comment-60308 The Republicans are better! The Democrats are better! Why does anyone waste their time defending either party. It has been clear for a long, long time that the only thing that motivates either party is achieving and maintaining power. Each party adopts a posture and panders to the groups who identify with that particular posture. This takes a great deal of money, so each party makes sure to pander especially hard to the big corporations and other special interests with cash to spend. Except for dramatic events and crises, the government continues essentially the same policies regardless of who has the power. And, of course, both parties ignore science as much as they can. The parties don't want factual information that can lead to rational decisions because that would interfere with the things they are trying to get the public to believe in and act upon. Governments such as ours encourage ignorance; ignorant people are much easier to manipulate. The Republicans are better! The Democrats are better! Why does anyone waste their time defending either party. It has been clear for a long, long time that the only thing that motivates either party is achieving and maintaining power. Each party adopts a posture and panders to the groups who identify with that particular posture. This takes a great deal of money, so each party makes sure to pander especially hard to the big corporations and other special interests with cash to spend. Except for dramatic events and crises, the government continues essentially the same policies regardless of who has the power.

And, of course, both parties ignore science as much as they can. The parties don’t want factual information that can lead to rational decisions because that would interfere with the things they are trying to get the public to believe in and act upon. Governments such as ours encourage ignorance; ignorant people are much easier to manipulate.

]]> By: Aleksandar http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/19/congress-hates-science-too/#comment-60307 Aleksandar Fri, 21 Dec 2007 01:25:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/19/congress-hates-science-too/#comment-60307 [MASSIVE SARCASM] What has science ever done for us? It gave us nuclear weapons, poison gas in WWI trenches, Zyclon B and crematoria. Science created DDT and thalidomide. Mass extinctions, sea dead zones and global warming. Science tries to steal away the meaning and purpose and love for Christ from people. It must be banned. Science is a much greater threat to American way of life (TM) than terrorism. We should support Bush in a new and great war on science. [/MASSIVE SARCASM] OK, this isnt hurting just NASA or just alternative energy sources or just... I mean, wtf? Why are you people voting for them? For most part we can say we are living in this age and are not still trapped in dark ages due to science and scientific method. Modern democracy? Impossible without way of though introduced by Age of Enlightenment... No, in no way can I understand US politics... [MASSIVE SARCASM]
What has science ever done for us?
It gave us nuclear weapons, poison gas in WWI trenches, Zyclon B and crematoria. Science created DDT and thalidomide. Mass extinctions, sea dead zones and global warming. Science tries to steal away the meaning and purpose and love for Christ from people. It must be banned. Science is a much greater threat to American way of life (TM) than terrorism. We should support Bush in a new and great war on science.
[/MASSIVE SARCASM]

OK, this isnt hurting just NASA or just alternative energy sources or just… I mean, wtf? Why are you people voting for them? For most part we can say we are living in this age and are not still trapped in dark ages due to science and scientific method.
Modern democracy? Impossible without way of though introduced by Age of Enlightenment…

No, in no way can I understand US politics…

]]> By: Mike http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/19/congress-hates-science-too/#comment-60306 Mike Fri, 21 Dec 2007 00:18:10 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/12/19/congress-hates-science-too/#comment-60306 I love that they just passed an energy bill to lavish money on stupid things like ethanol, but ended our funding of ITER - the nuclear fusion project, which has genuine potential. I love that they just passed an energy bill to lavish money on stupid things like ethanol, but ended our funding of ITER - the nuclear fusion project, which has genuine potential.

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