Archives for August 2005

Score one for the American Taliban:

President Bush waded into the debate over evolution and “intelligent design” yesterday, saying schools should teach both on the origins and complexity of life.

In a wide-ranging question-and-answer session with a small group of reporters, Bush essentially endorsed efforts by Christian conservatives to give intelligent design equal standing with evolution in the nation’s schools.

Hmmm. I have a theory: George Bush is an uncurious, intellectual lightweight, with little regard for either science or education. Based on my theory, I propose that the President’s meddling with our public schools should stray no further than occasional readings of My Pet Goat, while leaving the content of our science curriculum to people who actually understand and respect science… you know… like, scientists.

The National Academy of Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science have both concluded that there is no scientific basis for intelligent design and oppose its inclusion in school science classes.

“The claim that equity demands balanced treatment of evolutionary theory and special creation in science classrooms reflects a misunderstanding of what science is and how it is conducted,” the academy said in a 1999 assessment. “Creationism, intelligent design, and other claims of supernatural intervention in the origin of life or of species are not science because they are not testable by the methods of science.”

That’s right, intelligent design is not science, it is religion, and as long as we still have a First Amendment, we don’t teach religion in our public schools. If this is the President’s idea of education reform, perhaps what we really need is a “No Child Left Behind in the Middle Ages” act?

But wait… aren’t you being arrogant, Goldy? What of all those “scientists” who question evolution?

The Discovery Institute, a conservative think tank in Seattle that is the leading proponent of intelligent design, said it has compiled a list of more than 400 scientists, including 70 biologists, who are skeptical about evolution.

“The fact is that a significant number of scientists are extremely skeptical that Darwinian evolution can explain the origins of life,” John West, associate director of the organization’s Center for Science and Culture, said in a statement.

Yeah, and I’m skeptical that the Discovery Institute is an actual think tank. It’s not. It’s a far-right Christian propaganda mill, with absolutely no credibility on this or any other issue of scientific discovery… and the MSM should be absolutely ashamed of itself for indicating otherwise. The Discovery Institute is a sham, pure and simple, financed by wealth individuals with a dangerous, far-right-wing political agenda.

When the President of the United States suggests that our public schools should teach this retreaded, creationist bullshit on an equal scientific footing with evolution, the whole world laughs at us. And they should… we are becoming a ridiculous nation. No wonder our high tech industries can’t find enough qualified employees without importing scientists and engineers from overseas… while nations like India and China are retooling to compete and win in a 21st century economy, we’re busy turning our once proud public schools into the Evangelical Christian version of Taliban madrasas.

Bush’s statement in support of intelligent design not only represents a dumbing down of our educational system that our economy simply can’t afford, it is also an offense to those of us who don’t share the President’s faith. Science is about facts, not belief, and thus I no more want President Bush teaching my daughter science than I want Tom Cruise teaching her religion. If Bush wants to teach intelligent design, he should teach Sunday school. But stay the hell out of our public schools.

The newly passed federal transportation bill includes $220 million to help replace the Alaska Way Viaduct, a project I-912 supporters apparently feel is a total waste of money. So I wonder how they feel about the $220 million the bill also gives to the state of Alaska to build a bridge between Ketchikan (population: 8,000) and Gravina Island (population: 50)…? The bridge would be taller than the Brooklyn Bridge, nearly as long as the Golden Gate… and replace a 7-minute ferry ride.

Uh-huh.

But then, since both Alaska and the US Senate are run by Republicans — and the GOP is the party of fiscal responsibility — this must be a wise, thrifty use of taxpayer money, right? And I guess it also makes sense that 8,050 people in Alaska should get as much money as a tiny little town like Seattle.

Alaska Senator Ted Stevens defends the bridge, saying it is well worth the money.

“I remember when I was a young person in California, when people accused the people in Washington (D.C.) of being wasteful in thinking about building a bridge called the Golden Gate Bridge because no one lived in Marin County at the time.”

Um… yeah Ted… only difference is, Marin County isn’t in fucking Alaska!

Just thought somebody should point that out.

“If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier… just so long as I’m the dictator.”
— George W. Bush, Dec. 18, 2000

President Bush is inches shy of achieving his dream. Really. How else can you explain his recess appointment of John Bolton to be UN Ambassador, an act of incredible arrogance that shows an absolute disregard for the separation of powers our founding fathers wisely ensconced in the Constitution? I think Sen. Edward Kennedy summed it up well:

“The abuse of power and the cloak of secrecy from the White House continues,” Kennedy said. “It’s bad enough that the administration stonewalled the Senate by refusing to disclose documents highly relevant to the Bolton nomination. It’s even worse for the administration to abuse the recess appointment power by making the appointment while Congress is in this five-week recess. It’s a devious maneuver that evades the constitutional requirement of Senate consent and only further darkens the cloud over Mr. Bolton’s credibility at the U.N.”

Republican Sen. George Voinovich, who had previously warned that such a “controversial and ineffective ambassador” would put at risk our nation’s ability to fight the war on terror — and who had made a tearful plea to his colleagues not to approve Bolton’s nomination — said he was disappointed by Bush’s action.

“I am truly concerned that a recess appointment will only add to John Bolton’s baggage and his lack of credibility with the United Nations.”

Hell… why bother with confirmations at all? Why not just have Bush make all his appointments recess appointments, so he doesn’t have to deal with that pesky Senate? Of course, when Bolton’s tenure proves to be a disaster, and when revelations about his prior abuses of power continue to trickle out — including his own involvement in Valerie Plame’s outing — the American public will know exactly who to blame for embarrassing our nation by sending Bolton to the UN.

See, what Republicans label as “Democratic obstruction” was really the proper exercise of the checks and balances provided for in the Constitution. Senators representing a majority of American voters refused to confirm the President’s nominee, and so Bush decided to ignore the advice and consent of the Senate by abusing a rarely used Constitutional loophole… a vestige of a time when Congress was in recess for months at a time, and took weeks to reassemble for special session.

President Bush exercises power because he can, and Americans need to understand that.

Should we suffer a catastrophic terrorist attack on his watch — such as a nuclear detonation in a major American city — Americans should be prepared for Bush to act according to character… to declare a state of emergency, suspend the Constitution, and seize powers that can only be described as dictatorial. This would essentially be the end of our democratic republic. I’m not saying this is likely scenario, but it is certainly one that is easily imagined given the tone, tenor and history of this authoritarian administration. And we need to start talking about it now, while we can still do so freely without fearing imprisonment.

My sincere condolences to George Bush and his extended family for the tragic loss of such a dearly-loved and close family member… King Fahd of Saudi Arabia.