… and I do so in good humor, despite blood rushing to my cheek, as I’ve been called “liberal” about as often as the Fair Sex has called me, “fat”, “disgusting”, or “slovenly.”
I’ve always associated the “Liberal” tag as nothing more than describing someone that lives on the coast, or resides in a “blue” state – which pretty much amounts to the same thing …
An analysis of 36 years’ worth of polling data indicates that confidence in science as an institution has steadily declined among Americans who consider themselves conservatives, while confidence levels have been at steadier levels for other ideological groups.
-via MSNBC’s Cosmic Log
But after all the research is complete and opinion weighed, can we blame those untidy DNA fragments that emasculate our steelhead and salmon on us, the liberal menace?
Meaning, us liberals, and our unswerving devotion to science, are the root cause of fish hatcheries and therefore responsible for the “put and take” philosophy espoused by State and Federal wildlife agencies?
Say it ain’t so, Babe!
So what does this mean for the role of science in setting national policy? "In a political climate in which all sides do not share a basic trust in science, scientific evidence no longer is viewed as a politically neutral factor in judging whether a public policy is good or bad,"
Which explains why so much of the Science of late has been either Good or Bad, with little in between. Nor does it bode well for future efforts to set aside unspoiled pieces of Pristine, given those listening are ignoring a lot of the evidence and testimony, assuming it’s no longer impartial.
Hard times coming for conservation organizations, whose message will resonate with us coastal types, and simply be “more liberal BS” for the warm states.
This is a difficult topic without involving the hatchery. We need the Conservatives closed minded, aggressive nature just as much as we need the liberals open minded, defensive nature. Both are equally American patriots, and opportunistic pricks. Both sides deliver ideas that simply would not occur to the other and resolve issues effectively if not intelligently. The Soviets had their favorite science, as do we, but it never has, nor will it ever, influence the opinions of the great unknowing and unwashed masses. As an example, write your congress person today and see that he includes Trout-care in the new and improved Obama-care!
As long as we are delivering lectures on this muost serious subject: The word “Librul” became a perjorative during the boozy Cold War reign of the fearsome Senator Joe McCarthy of Wisconsin – a state still wracked by noisy dissent – and as for those polls on “science” these are still conducted to formulas set by those same lazy incompents who keep finding that the US is a church-going, God-fearing bible-pumping, nation of white-bread-eaters, despite lurid headlines, and daily/hourly mounting evidence to the contrary. Rest easy by the streamside, mates – pollsters, preachers and politicians come and go, but scientists generally stay put. Remember Galileo ?
…so long as we don’t see Rachel Maddow in waders….Science is neither good or bad,but it’s applcation to a ‘problem’ can be effed-up
I’d sooner be able to to cast to fish out in the ‘Pristine'(or as close as I can get to it) than grub for carp or catfish in water the color and texture of a milkshake….
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