Did you know that Akin (the guy who claimed that women don't get pregnant from "legitimate rape" because their bodies have "ways to try to shut that whole thing down") is a member of the House Science Committee? Well, I just learned that Paul Broun (R-Georgia), who is a high ranking member of that same committee, just outed himself as an even bigger moron and anti-science radical.

Last week he said that evolution and the big bang theory are "lies straight from the pit of Hell."

"God's word is true. I've come to understand that. All that stuff I was taught about evolution and embryology and the big bang theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of Hell," said Broun, who is an MD. "It's lies to try to keep me and all the folks who were taught that from understanding that they need a savior."

"You see, there are a lot of scientific data that I've found out as a scientist that actually show that this is really a young Earth. I don't believe that the earth's but about 9,000 years old. I believe it was created in six days as we know them. That's what the Bible says."

There are multiple foxes in the henhouse.

Scary days.

GO

Did you know that Akin (the guy who claimed that women don't get pregnant from "legitimate rape" because their bodies have "ways to try to shut that whole thing down") is a member of the House Science Committee? Well, I just learned that Paul Broun (R-Georgia), who is a high ranking member of that same committee, just outed himself as an even bigger moron and anti-science radical.

Last week he said that evolution and the big bang theory are "lies straight from the pit of Hell."

"God's word is true. I've come to understand that. All that stuff I was taught about evolution and embryology and the big bang theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of Hell," said Broun, who is an MD. "It's lies to try to keep me and all the folks who were taught that from understanding that they need a savior."

"You see, there are a lot of scientific data that I've found out as a scientist that actually show that this is really a young Earth. I don't believe that the earth's but about 9,000 years old. I believe it was created in six days as we know them. That's what the Bible says."

There are multiple foxes in the henhouse.

Scary days.

GO

He was “speaking off the record to a large church group about his personal beliefs regarding religious issues"-- according to his campaign.

Sigh, it boggles my mind, really!

I just started to read "Age of American Unreason" by Susan Jacoby. The quote from Paul Broun seems to fit right into the argument made in this book.

Do any of you have any good ideas about what could be done to get these guys *off* the congressional science committees? I mean, if you're elected to office, fine, serve your district. But to be endowed with a position of responsibility in congress, you should have to show yourself to be competent in that arena. There should be a way to protest these appointments, but I don't really know where they come from, and to whom one would apply pressure.

Any suggestions welcome. This really is a battle, and just whining about it here is not enough.

GO

I am not an expert (obviously!) but what I remember is that the nomination for each committee is done by each party, and then formally confirmed by the House of Representatives.

All committees are bi-aprtisan, with the split roughly the same as overall split of the House of Representative, so if the House majority is republican, so will be the committees.

And the parties nominate representatives to the committees based on the Representatives' personal preferences and seniority.

So the way I interpret it, if a certain person wants to serve on a certain committee, puts his.her name forward, and there isn't an overwhelming number of other candidates from the same party wanting to get onto the same committee, that person will get on the committee of his/her choice, and there is nothing that the general public can do about it.

Not sure what we can do, other than trying to be vocal, and demand some accountability...

I just started to read "Age of American Unreason" by Susan Jacoby. The quote from Paul Broun seems to fit right into the argument made in this book.

The only thing we can do is vote republicans out of office.

Great book. Keep a dictionary handy.

Jay

Religion presents a very clear and present danger to our society...

Unfortunately, has been for a while... And it has apready ruined much. It literally handicaps us.

Here is the video of his comments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rikEWuBrkHc


And here is an especially appalling comment at the end.

"What I’ve come to learn is that [the Bible is] the manufacturer’s handbook, is what I call it. It teaches us how to run our lives individually, how to run our families, how to run our churches. But it teaches us how to run all of public policy and everything in society. And that’s the reason as your congressman I hold the holy Bible as being the major directions to me of how I vote in Washington, D.C., and I will continue to do that"

Republican Congressman Joe Walsh of Illinois said after his Thursday debate against Democratic rival Tammy Duckworth that abortions are never necessary to save a pregnant woman's life, because modern technology has eliminated the risks of childbearing.

"The battle for science in America"

Can we just admit that we lost this battle?

http://news.yahoo.com/...30900--election.html

Fixt.

But the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said in a statement Friday that even today’s medical advances can’t prevent the need for abortions to save the mother's life in every case.

“Abortions are necessary in a number of circumstances to save the life of a woman or to preserve her health,” the college said. “Unfortunately, pregnancy is not a risk-free life event, particularly for many women with chronic medical conditions. Despite all of our medical advances, more than 600 women die each year from pregnancy- and childbirth-related reasons right here in the US. In fact, many more women would die each year if they did not have access to abortion to protect their health or to save their lives.”

Dr. Sara Imershein, an obstetrician and gynecologist in private practice in Washington, D.C., told POLITICO there are “numerous situations where life of the mother would be a reason to terminate the pregnancy.” She cited cancer, multiple pregnancies, hemorrhaging or situations in which the mother’s health is at risk, such as patients with sickle cell anemia or chickenpox.

“Unfortunately, there are many cases where technology cannot do what a legislator would like it to do,” she said.

http://www.politico.com/...012/82640.html?hp=r5