Seems like the stupid is almost as thick as the snow out there.
Affirmative action for conservatives
Megan McArdle and John Tierney are clamoring for affirmative action for conservatives in academia (I think that is what McArdle is getting at, her post isn’t that coherent, Tierney seems to endorse an actual quota system).
Here’s what I’d like to know: how are we supposed to know if someone in the sciences is conservative? Would they just check a box on some form? Wouldn’t everyone do that then?
I don’t know the politics of most people I work with. I know one calls himself a conservative but hates Sarah Palin, a a few are NPR-style liberals, a few others are Liebercrats, and there’s one guy who reads Daily Kos, but that’s about all I know. I find everything any of them (except the guy who reads Kos, who is sharp) says about politics to be stupid, and I try to ignore whatever I hear so I don’t have to hold it against them. I think the guy in the office next to me could be a real winger, because he likes the rational market hypothesis, but he also wears sandals, so I don’t know and I’m not that interested.
When the Glorious People’s Conservative Revolution comes, will we have to keep track of this, so we make sure we have a certain number of conservatives in each department?
Update. Indeed, here’s McMegan arguing for affirmative action in academia, even in the hard sciences.
Open Thread
I’m seriously at my upper limit for snow.
What You Call a Caricature, I Call Reality
Not to step on DougJ’s toes, but this part of the response at the League from Jason struck me as odd:
To everyone who eagerly broke out the metaphorical popcorn in DougJ’s comments — I’m sure I could come up with some patronizing questions for you, too. Would you like that? I’m not sure I would, which is why I haven’t, yet. But I’m sure I could.
Sheesh. Why do I bother?
He continues on in the comments:
No, no, no. These are liberals. Let’s try this:
1. When was the last time you condemned Stalin? If it’s been longer than a year, will you now take the opportunity and do so?
2. The individual broccoli mandate: for or against?
3. The last time you bought coffee, was it fair trade? If not, why not? Justify your answer using Rawls’ difference principle.
And so on. Caricature is easy, isn’t it?
Maybe I am missing some polling data, but I guess I’ve just never seen a lot of support for Stalin in the Democratic party, nor any reference to broccoli in the party platform. Granted, I’ve only been a Democrat for a couple years. On the other hand, there is this:
Add to it that some Republican state party platforms explicitly reference evolution. Thinking the majority of Republicans and Conservatives doubt evolution isn’t a smear or an unfair caricature, it’s reality. It’s a sad one, too, because apparently the majority of the population doubts evolutionary theory. And DougJ asking conservatives he thinks are somewhat sane isn’t some kind of personal attack (way to take a compliment there, Jason! We will dutifully add you to the insane/unreasonable list!). On the other hand, pretending there is some teeming mass of liberals pining for the days of Stalin isn’t even remotely plausible. It’s the kind of nonsense gibberish we expect from Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh and, well, Sarah Palin.
*** Update ***
From the comments here:
This post isn’t really fair.
Jason K. doesn’t “continue in the comments.” He doesn’t present those questions as being the equivalent of “Do you believe in evolution? Has the average global temperature risen over the past 30 years?”
He was replying to someone who posted some questions from Jeff Foxworthy’s “You Might Be a Redneck” book. He isn’t claiming that evolution denying, global warming denying questions stereotype conservatives, but that redneck jokes do.
I’ll agree with that- stating he “continues on” in the comments isn’t really accurate or fair. On the other hand, I just don’t understand why he would associate those things with liberals, anyway.
What You Call a Caricature, I Call RealityPost + Comments (209)
Another question
Cato employee Jason Kuznicki found my questions about evolution and climate change “patronizing”, but he was kind enough to answer them. So I have another question for him: can he tell me why he thinks Will Wilkinson and Brink Lindsey are no longer at Cato?
Christine O’Donnell: S.C.R.E.A.M. (Socialist Cash Rules Everything Around Me)
The only happy trail she’s concerned about is the money trail
OMG, you guyz!! The Virgin Saint of Financial Mismanagement is going to investigate leftist socialistlibrulists groups because GEORGE SOROS and JEWS, that’s why:
Failed GOP Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell is back, and she’s telling supporters she wants her newly formed political action committee ChristinePAC to “investigate and counter attack leftwing groups.”
O’Donnell, who wrote that her losing campaign sent “shockwaves” throughout the nation, said in an e-mail to supporters Tuesday that her group will look into the groups “funded with one million dollars or more from billionaire leftist George Soros.”
“The Left keeps after me because they consider strong, Republican women a danger to their status quo,” O’Donnell wrote. “Your donation also enables me to speak out in many venues from Coast to Coast, thereby helping support a nationwide effort. This is a way that will help me counter attack our opponents and bring the battle to them.”
ChristinePAC is based out of O’Donnell’s Delaware home, raising concerns for ethics groups given that O’Donnell is already under investigation for alleged misuse of campaign funds.
Christine, honey — you’re never going to achieve full Palinosity until you stop running your PAC from your fucking house. You should totally demand that Fox News build you a house! They built Sarah her own studio! Aren’t you, like, totes jellis!? Well, you should be. I heard Palin talking shit about you during the pep rally. I heard from this one chick that Sarah calls you thunder thighs behind your back, like all the time. I know! What a slutbag! What’s her damage, anyway?
Run along, now. Aren’t you late for your weekly virgin sacrifice? Here: you can borrow my pentagram pendant.
[via TPM]
[cross-posted here at Angry Black Lady Chronicles]
Christine O’Donnell: S.C.R.E.A.M. (Socialist Cash Rules Everything Around Me)Post + Comments (56)
When in Franzia, Do as the Franzians
There are lots of reasons to attack the media, but I’m going to suggest that flaming them for not pointing out the former chair of the Democratic National Committee is a Democrat isn’t one of them.