Things weren’t bad enough in the Republican party. Now it’s worse. At the website of ABC News we read Alaska Senate Candidates Debate for Last Time. Here are some excerpts, with bold added by us:
U.S. Senate hopeful Joe Miller says disclosures about his past haven’t slowed his commitment to giving voice to Alaskans’ concerns or affected his desire to serve.
We have no idea what those “disclosures about his past” might be. There’s a brief mention of what it was later in the article — something about misuse of computers while serving as a borough attorney. Well, if that were his only problem we might not care too much.
This is his campaign website. He’s a graduate of West Point, a decorated combat veteran, and he’s also a graduate of Yale Law School. We haven’t been following that race very closely, but Miller seemed okay to us — except for that weird beard. Let’s read on from the ABC News article:
The debate touched on topics such as whether creationism should be taught in schools: the Republican Miller said yes, along with science; Democrat Scott McAdams and GOP write-in candidate Sen. Lisa Murkowski both said it shouldn’t be.
There you go. Another candidate we had thought was a sensible fellow turns out to be … well, a flaming creationist.
Nevertheless, although that’s a truly terrible flaw, he may still be the better choice. These are extra-ordinary times.
Copyright © 2010. The Sensuous Curmudgeon. All rights reserved.
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The Sensuous Curmudgeon 
So how is Joe Miller any different from any other republican in this regard? Although the republicans say the right things about fiscal responsibility (which they completely ignore when in power) they are pretty much anti science and anti enlightenment across the party.
bye the bye Curmy, I like to poke you a bit on some political things, but have no doubt that I truly respect and admire what you are doing on this blog. Mighty few of our fellow Americans seem to value or understand our enlightenment heritage.
comradebillyboy asks:
Do you really think the Dems are any smarter? The only difference between them on this point is that creationism is a GOP talking point, and being anti-creationist is a Dem talking point. But they’re all flaming idiots. There are other issues — bigger issues — that divide the two parties, so unless one is a single-issue voter (and evolution is that issue) there are other things upon which one must base his decision.
No candidate for any political office should have members of the United States Armed Forces acting as private security. Do you want my candidate to have the force of the US Army behind her? Really?
And why you should be surprised that Joe Miller is a creationist puzzles me greatly. He’s never made a secret of it. He thinks we should all decide for ourselves whether to teach science or creationism in public schools. He’s been quoted on it more than once.
BTW, I personally don’t think the Dems are smarter, but I want the children of this country to learn science, not “….and then a miracle occurred.”
BTW, I personally don’t think the Dems are smarter, but I want the children of this country to learn science, not “….and then a miracle occurred.”
This is why we have school district elections and state education standards.
The national government has no business being involved in the education of children, and you will find that people like O’Donnell and Miller claim to believe that. As Senators they will have very little influence over what is taught in schools.
SC, save yourself the trouble and just assume that the 50-60 Republican Senators we have next week are all creationists.
Gabriel Hanna says:
It’s probably always been like that, and among the Dems too. It’s only lately that the issue has risen to the surface. We’ve survived that little problem (ignorant politicians) for more than two centuries. I’m far more concerned with other issues these days — like defense and the economy — but we’ll keep this blog focused on its traditional message.
I’m far more concerned with other issues these days — like defense and the economy
No matter how next week turns out, anything substantive on these issues is unlikely to change very much. It would be nice to see, for example, billions of dollars spent on new nuclear plants and dams rather than thrown down the ratholes of wind and ethanol–since we have to have energy pork it may as well be for something that works. But I don’t even think we are going to see that.
Even so it would be nibbling about the edges. The four biggest sectors of the budget will be just as politically untouchable next week as they are this week.
Miller finally admitted to lying about accessing government work computers for political purposes. A creationist, a liar, and abuser of his office.
Miller finally admitted to lying about accessing government work computers for political purposes.
Is this as bad as Barbara Boxer breaking California law by asking school teachers to recruit kids for her campaign–for school credit, of course?
Click to access Boxer_Letter_to_Schools.pdf
Joe Miller’s “somewhat” to “extremely” negative approval rating has shot up to a whopping 68% according to a recent Hays poll as reported by the HuffPo.
It’s the Mocrat’s election to lose now, which they probably will! We’ll know soon enough.
It’s the Mocrat’s election to lose now, which they probably will!
Miller’s competition is Lisa Murkowski, the Republican incumbent who lost the primary to Miller but is running as a write-in. The Democrat is not expected to win, as far as I know.
Miller’s competition is Lisa Murkowski, the Republican incumbent
Anyway, this is why the election in Alaska is a such a big deal. Republicans did not want Murkowski representing them any more, regarding her as part of the problem, but out of a sense of her indispensibility to the people of Alaska she decided to run anyway and risk throwing the election to someone more liberal than she is.
Which to me indicates that she prefers power to principle, which is not uncommon in incumbents.
Ellie says:
Hey, I didn’t know. I can’t keep up with everything.
I always found this XKCD comic funny when I think of how frightfully ignorant our elected officials can be: http://xkcd.com/154/
I have always contended that the elected offials MUST have some scientific litteracy. Otherwise how can they be expected to make policy that is affected by new discoveries.
I have always contended that the elected offials MUST have some scientific litteracy. Otherwise how can they be expected to make policy that is affected by new discoveries.
We’ve been chugging along for 234 years without much scientific literacy in elected officials. We’ve had Senators who thought that the interior of the Earth is millions of degrees, who think that natural gas is not a fossil fuel, and that the island of Guam could sink under the weight of the people on it, and who can forget the Internet “tubes”?
I have always contended that the elected offials MUST have some scientific litteracy (sic).
They wouldn’t need any if they stuck to their constitutionally mandated roles and stopped trying to run our lives.
Curmudgeon responds:
“Do you really think the Dems are any smarter? The only difference between them on this point is that creationism is a GOP talking point, and being anti-creationist is a Dem talking point. But they’re all flaming idiots.”
No, I am also underwhelmed by the democrats. But the theocratic tendencies and basic anti-science stance of the republicans repel me more than the less dangerous foolishness of the democrats.
But the theocratic tendencies and basic anti-science stance of the republicans repel me more than the less dangerous foolishness of the democrats.
In other words, you prefer real loss of freedom under secular politicians than a hypothetical loss of freedom under religious politicians.
It’s not conservatives who want to tax you for carbon. It’s not conservatives who say you have to fill out a separate 1099 form for every company you do $600 worth of business with. It’s not conservatives who let your house burn because some endangered mouse is on your property and the EPA won’t give you a waiver for a firebreak.
Gabriel Hanna says:
As I’ve been saying, both parties are ignorant of science. The Dems, however, regard academia as one of their special support groups, so they say things to pander, which seems to impress people that they’re pro-science. Unfortunately, they also pander to the gurus of sociology and other exotic variations of “social science,” so they end up doing a lot of strange things.
The GOP appears to have a better understanding of economics, but they rarely act on that knowledge. Government isn’t really the place for entrepreneurship If they’d just keep the size and cost of government down, and quit all the meddling in everyone’s affairs, that would be sufficient. Bull too often they’re pandering or compromising.
Don’t know if Miller phrased it that way, but at least that sentence makes the distinction between creationism and actual science. Now given that, supporting non-scientific nonsense being taught gets us back to square one. The Tea Party has been infiltrated by the theocrats as much as the GOP has been. What a miserable situation.
James F says:
It would be surprising if he didn’t know the difference. West Point used to be thought of as an engineering school. It’s more than that these days, but still, I think everyone graduates with a BS degree. I don’t know how much science they actually get, but it’s likely to be more than what’s required at your basic liberal arts college. I think Miller knows what he’s doing. Perhaps that’s actually worse.
Joe Miller said, “The schools should be a place for the free exchange of ideas including all theories of origins. Thousands of scientists have examined the incredible complexities of the world and concluded it must be the result of a Designer. Our own Declaration of Independence states that we are “endowed by our Creator with certain alienable rights.” Nevertheless, education should be a matter of local and state discretion, not federal mandate. It’s the choice of state and local officials as to how to approach this issue.”
http://www.adn.com
Somehow I doubt he really wants all theories of origins taught. What do you think? You may still think he’s the best choice, but that he wants creationism taught to the nation’s school children is obvious.
Interesting! Miller is falling in the polls behind write-in incumbent Lisa Murkowski and Democrat Scott McAdams. A good chance we’re one creationist down in the Senate. Huzzah!
A good chance we’re one creationist down in the Senate. Huzzah!
And one pork barreler up! Bridges to nowhere for all!
Oh, wait, we can’t all have them. But we’ll all get to pay!
This is the guy whose security skinheads illegally arrested a journalist for trying to ask the candidiate questions in a public forum.
A true defender of the American Constitution eh?
Try electing politicians on their qualifications rather than on whether they are a person of faith, a war vet, etc etc. When their shills knock on your door tell them to knock it off with the image and spin. And if they dont just put your X in the None Of The Above box….get None Of The Above elected.
Actually….if the majority voted None Of The Above would the election hav to be re-run with new candidates? Theres an idea.