EPA head spouts creationist talking points

[Unbeliever]

Religious belief is a vaccination against logic.

[trdsf]

It's a hot-button issue the political right uses to manipulate the religious right. That's why it won't be resolved any time soon, since if it were resolved it would no longer be a useful tool for the GOP.

Precisely why they never do anything final about abortion when they have control: they need the issue as a live issue to keep the base stirred up.  Think about how often they've had control of the White House and both houses of Congress since 2001, and they've failed every time to use that majority to act.  The same thing applies to the ACA: how many times did Congress vote to defund it while Obama was in office, and now that their man is in, they can't—or more accurately, they won't dare because they need it to be one of their Big Scary Things.

Notice that not many of them speak out about equal marriage anymore; it loses them more votes than it gains among independents, so they don't press the issue outside of districts where they need to get the knuckle-draggers out to vote.  If abortion becomes a net vote loser, they'll drop it too.

[Hydra009]

Notice that not many of them speak out about equal marriage anymore; it loses them more votes than it gains among independents, so they don't press the issue outside of districts where they need to get the knuckle-draggers out to vote.  If abortion becomes a net vote loser, they'll drop it too.

I'd probably like them more if their principles were wrong but heartfelt rather than a means to cynically manipulate idiots.

[trdsf]

I'd probably like them more if their principles were wrong but heartfelt rather than a means to cynically manipulate idiots.

Pretty much.  Our GOP Senator was one of the first Repubs to switch his position to being for equal marriage—but only after his son came out.  Two years after his son came out.  I consider that more selfish than enlightened.  It was all "No, no, no, no, no, no… oh, wait, this actually affects my family?  Then yes."

[Baruch]

Religious belief is a vaccination against logic.

You are a papermache Marx Head on a book shelf.  Not very Vulcan of you.

[Baruch]

I had a co-worker like you once.  He was utterly pro-confederacy, "lost cause", bizarrely religious, neo-nazi, and immune to logic.

Pro-Confederacy?  Hardly.  At least I am not a John Brown terrorist still wanting to send all the Southern folk to hell and damnation (because a minority owned slaves).

[Unbeliever]

You are a papermache Marx Head on a book shelf.  Not very Vulcan of you.

Live long, and prosper.

[Baruch]

Live long, and prosper.

Ah, but Leonard Nimoy got his "alienation" from growing up Jewish in Pittsburg.  My encounter group in counseling warned me ... "You are not Spock" ... and eventually I cured myself of that particular delusion.  One Medieval French king thought he was made of glass, so moved very carefully.  As a papermache Marx head, do you stay away from open flames ... Twitter in particular?

[Unbeliever]

Yeah, no flame wars for me!

[Baruch]

Yeah, no flame wars for me!

What goes with that Vulcan sign ...

May Adonai bless you and guard you –
יְבָרֶכְךָ יהוה, וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ‬
(Yevhārēkh-khā Adhōnāy veyishmerēkhā ...)

May Adonai make His face shed light upon you and be gracious unto you –
יָאֵר יהוה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וִיחֻנֶּךָּ‬
("Yāʾēr Adhōnāy pānāw ēlekhā viḥunnékkā ...)

May Adonai lift up His face unto you and give you peace –
יִשָּׂא יהוה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם‬
("Yissā Adhōnāy pānāw ēlekhā viyāsēm lekhā shālōm.")

Except you do it with both hands, and you are supposed to be a blood descended Kohen, giving this blessing to the laity in an Orthodox synagogue.

[Cavebear]

Precisely why they never do anything final about abortion when they have control: they need the issue as a live issue to keep the base stirred up.  Think about how often they've had control of the White House and both houses of Congress since 2001, and they've failed every time to use that majority to act.  The same thing applies to the ACA: how many times did Congress vote to defund it while Obama was in office, and now that their man is in, they can't—or more accurately, they won't dare because they need it to be one of their Big Scary Things.

Notice that not many of them speak out about equal marriage anymore; it loses them more votes than it gains among independents, so they don't press the issue outside of districts where they need to get the knuckle-draggers out to vote.  If abortion becomes a net vote loser, they'll drop it too.

Yeah, the far right wants issues left unresolved to keep their base stirred to anger. 

I want rational discussion to resolve issues.  But it take both sides to do that.  And if they find it politically useful to never resolve the issues, only one side is to blame.

[Baruch]

Yeah, the far right wants issues left unresolved to keep their base stirred to anger. 

I want rational discussion to resolve issues.  But it take both sides to do that.  And if they find it politically useful to never resolve the issues, only one side is to blame.

Wrong species.  Don't hold your breath.