The scientific caucus in Congress is small but growing:
“If we continue to reproduce in this manner,” Mr. Foster began, and Mr. Ehlers finished the thought, “the entire Congress would consist of physicists!”
They were joking — probably. But a Congress full of physicists might solve some worrisome problems, the three-member physics caucus argued one afternoon when they met for a joint interview in the Capitol.
There are 435 people in the House, Mr. Holt said, and “420 don’t know much about science and choose not to.”
Reader Comments:
I have great admiration for Justice Scalia. He is one of the most intellectually honest and consistent justices on the Supreme Court. He also adheres to the original understanding of the Constitution, rather than trying to see what new meanings can be wrangled out of or squeezed into the words found there.
And for this he is vilified by the left, because he is not “progressive” and refuses to engage in social engineering. It is not the job of a Supreme Court justice to “research the issues” in a case before him or her. The parties bringing the case before the court have the job of briefing the justicies - identifying the applicable legal standards and providing the factual record to be reviewed.
The “political appointee hack” jibe doesn’t stick. He’s hardly any kind of “hack.“ Why should he be saddled with that label anymore than any of the other justices? Is Ruth Bader Ginsburg an eminent jurisprudential scholar because she was appointed by Wild Bill Clinton? What about Clinton’s other nominee, Stephen Breyer, who authored a book advocating judicial activism? Souter was appointed by Bush the Elder, but has turned out to be “liberal” as it were, generally aligning with Breyer and Ginsburg.
None of Scalia, Thomas, Roberts or Alito are the anti-Christ, despite the perorations and ululations of the left.
Forgive me if I fail to see evidence of some great crime in the quote you provided. As far as “inhabiting the fringed of intellectual brilliance,“ you’ve clearly either been drinking the hyperleftie Kool-Aid, or - more likely - you’ve never read, comprehended and understood the man’s writing.
For those not knowing the inside joke Antonin Scalia is Bill’s hero. Bill has read every decision and finds no greater role model in his life than perhaps the great Clarence Thomas, another inspiration.
Bill is just bitter. He also hates it when I exaggerate his opinions. Bill has expressed admiration for Scalia. At no time was the word “hero” used or implied. You have to make disclaimers when arguing with lawyers.
Yes Bill, Scalia is honest, honest about being too lazy to research the issues, honest about inhabiting the fringes of intellectual competence, honestly no environmental hack but honestly very much the political appointee hack.
If Greta accuses you one more time of being a genius I’m going to projectile vomit. No wait, am I the bitter one ?
Should I pick up my NY Times and sip a Cosmo to calm down ? Ah, that’s better…
Oh, all right, no more fun. I’m quite sure though that if I insulted your hero with his own words he had it coming and so did you. Harumph !
The heroic bloggers inhabiting Barticles are snips and snails and sugar and spice and everything good and honest, excepting not innocent victims. There are no innocent victims. None. Particularly not Scalia.
His own words are his truth and legacy. Anything I add perfunctory and misleading but so much fun all the same.
Oh my god!! Scalia is a shambling moron! A right-wing, baby seal-clubbing, anti-environment hack! A shill for big oil!! He must be - I mean, he didn’t know the difference between the troposphere and the stratospher - something that, naturally, every sane, rational and normal person knows instinctively.
That and he’s honest - he admitted he doesn’t want to have to deal with cases about global warming because he does not have a scientific background and would not have a deep understanding of the science behind the issues.
Damn him! Impeach him now, the conservative bastard!
Antonin Scalia taken from Wikiquote.org:
On Global Warming, in response to Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General James Milkey’s correction of Scalia’s reference to the “stratosphere”: “Troposphere, whatever. I told you before I’m not a scientist. That’s why I don’t want to have to deal with global warming, to tell you the truth.“
Massachusetts vs. EPA, 05-1120. [8], November 30, 2006. Retrieved December 2, 2006.
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