17 September 2010 posts

Coolness Check out this really cool cloud at Peoria Pundit. It really is cool.

President Obama: announced a program to bolster science and math education.

Of course, in the eyes of some, he can’t do anything right. Some liberals were actually offended when the President mentioned that we’ve had some liberal successes, even if they weren’t everything that liberals (myself included) wanted. There is no pleasing some people.

Islam: yes, Muslims should be able to practice their religion freely and shouldn’t be picked on. Nevertheless this remains a problem: they seem to have very violent, outspoken leaders and followers who do things like issue death threats over speech that they don’t like.

Science Jerry Coyne talks about the role of hybridization in evolution. No matter how important it is, it is fun to talk about! Check out these photos of hybrid geese.

Science, religion and accommodationism
The “science and religion are compatible” types have thin skins, don’t they? Now you have them whining about the scientists “not understanding science”! As Larry Moran says, grab a bag of popcorn and enjoy the show.

The politics of the morons

Republican US Senate candidate: thinks that scientists are making mice with human brains.
There are people who find this amusing, but many people believe dumber stuff than this, especially your rank and file Republican. So, will this help the Democrats? Maybe, maybe not. Whether it does or not, this really isn’t good for the country. As Robert Reich writes:

In Delaware, Palin-endorsed tea partier Christine O’Donnell is so far right she’s called “delusional” by Delaware’s GOP leader. In Kentucky, Palin-favored Rand Paul says the Civil Rights Act of 1964 shouldn’t apply to businesses. In Colorado, tea partier Ken Buck talks of getting rid of the 17th amendment, which provides for the direct election of senators. In Arizona, Palin-favored Sharon Angle has called for “2nd Amendment remedies” if Congress doesn’t change hands.

Many Americans these days don’t like Congress and are cynical about government. The lousy economy has made almost all incumbents targets of the public’s anger and anxiety.

But if there’s one thing Americans like even less it’s people pretending to be legitimate politicians whose views are so far removed from those of ordinary Americans that they pose a danger to our system of governance. [...]

Some Democrats think all this is wonderful because it boosts the odds of Democratic wins, not only in the midterms but also in 2012 when the Republicans put up Palin, Gingrich, or someone equally bizarre. Even voters who are are unenthusiastic about Democrats will be motivated to turn out if they fear that crackpots will otherwise take over our government.

I’m not as sanguine about what’s happening. Political discourse in America is important. What candidates say can legitimize hateful or divisive views that would otherwise never see the light of day.

We’re in the midst of an ongoing economic emergency that requires clear thinking, intense work, and practical ideas. It also requires that we join together rather than be pushed apart. The loonies who are taking over the GOP pose a real and present danger.

I do know that some Republicans are not happy about this trend:

Few Republican lawmakers were as stung by Rep. Mike Castle’s surprising loss to his conservative GOP opponent as Maine Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe.

In a hallway just off the Senate floor Thursday afternoon, she sounded off about her place as a moderate in the GOP, and voter anger she says she understands.

Visibly sad, Snowe called Castle “an outstanding public servant who was committed to the common good of his state and country.”

The longer Snowe talked about the state of the GOP and the Tea Party movement, the more riled up she got.

“Understand, there are a lot of issues that, for example, in the Tea Party that they raise that are legitimate issues. Did we abandon our basic principles of fiscal responsibility? Absolutely. I was arguing those points during the Bush administration,” Snowe said emphatically, “I made those very arguments.”

“Congress isn’t working right and it’s not working well, and I share that frustration and anger. They’re angry? So am I,” Snowe said as her voice got louder, “I’m angry, because I work here ever day and I want things to be different. I’m here to solve problems to make people happy, not to make them sad and angry,” Snowe insisted.

And what does Castle’s loss tell Snowe about whether there’s a place for moderates like her in the GOP?

“Well there are fewer of us so that goes without saying,” Snowe said, but then immediately argued that “we can’t be endangered if you want to be a majority party.”

“It doesn’t stand to reason that the Republican Party would want to exclude moderate Republicans if they want to be a majority party. Those are mutually exclusive propositions,” Snowe said.

At times, as the Maine Republican talked about this issue, she became exasperated.

More politics
Paul Krugman: current Republicans are holding the middle classes and lower economic classes hostage because they really want tax breaks for the wealthy. No one should be surprised; unfortunately there are some Democrats in this fold too.

Mike Huckabee: inadvertently makes the case of why the government should be involved in healthcare: it makes no sense for private companies to cover pre-existing conditions!