GOP congressman used porn to kill science funding now heads US science committee

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rdean

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Texas congressman uses porn to kill science funding | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine)

U.S. Congressman Ralph Hall (R-TX)

Texas congressman uses porn to kill science funding

But it’s also clear that those rules can be abused. In the case of U.S. Congressman Ralph Hall (R-TX), “abuse” isn’t nearly a big enough word. “Cynically manipulated” might be a bit better. He killed a bill that would fund science innovation and education by tying it to punishing people who look at porn at work.

Midterm results spell belt tightening for science - Physics Today Politics and Policy

Tuesday's election results have cut the number of physicists in the House of Representatives from three to one.

Most science funding is discretionary and is already suffering due to a number of factors:

the drying up of stimulus funds, which boosted R&D funding at federal and academic institutions over the last two years
cuts in state funding of universities
the failure of Congress to pass a 2010 federal budget
President Obama's proposed three-year budget freeze, which he plans to implement next year

Hall also tried to put a poison pill in the reauthorization of the 2007 America COMPETES Act, which aimed to improve science education.

House Republicans are expected to use the science committee as a platform to subpoena Obama administration officials and try and put a monkey wrench in the works over a number of bills related to science, including proposed climate-change legislation.

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This 87 year old guy now heads the "Congressional Science and Technology Committee". This is the Republican view of science. Why do they keep calling 6% a lie??????????????????
 
This is old news, but here is all you need to know:

However, right before it was to go to the floor, Rep. Hall called a Motion to Recommit. Because of those weird rules I mentioned above, this meant that Congress would either have to agree to the Motion and have the bill sent back to committee — where it would die — or overrule the Motion. Now follow this carefully: part of the Motion Rep. Hall submitted was language added to the bill that said that it would prevent the government from paying salaries to employees who looked at porn on government computers.

By doing this, Hall basically bet all his chips. Hall’s move left Congress, notably Democrats, with two options: kill this much-needed bill that invests in America’s future in science and technology, or overrule a motion punishing people for downloading pornography. If they did the latter, the far right noise machine, always eager for red meat in the political arena, could then say Democrats voted to continue paying employees who looked at porn.

Why would Democrats pay salaries to employees who look at porn?
 
This is old news, but here is all you need to know:

However, right before it was to go to the floor, Rep. Hall called a Motion to Recommit. Because of those weird rules I mentioned above, this meant that Congress would either have to agree to the Motion and have the bill sent back to committee — where it would die — or overrule the Motion. Now follow this carefully: part of the Motion Rep. Hall submitted was language added to the bill that said that it would prevent the government from paying salaries to employees who looked at porn on government computers.

By doing this, Hall basically bet all his chips. Hall’s move left Congress, notably Democrats, with two options: kill this much-needed bill that invests in America’s future in science and technology, or overrule a motion punishing people for downloading pornography. If they did the latter, the far right noise machine, always eager for red meat in the political arena, could then say Democrats voted to continue paying employees who looked at porn.

Why would Democrats pay salaries to employees who look at porn?

What the hell is wrong with you? The goal was to keep from funding science. So a "poison pill" was added into the bill so people wouldn't vote for it.

It's as if Republicans put "funding" for kiddy porn into a bill that extends unemployment benefits. Then the bill is voted down and Republicans could say, "See, we offered unemployment benefits to be extended but Democrats voted against it".

Historically, this has been one of the favorite tactics of Republicans.

You do know Republicans are NOT on the side of the American Middle Class? Right? You know that, right?
 
Is the American "middle class" entitled to work for government and look at porn on government computers?

What do you think?

fotosketcher-conor-lenihan.jpg
 
This is old news, but here is all you need to know:

However, right before it was to go to the floor, Rep. Hall called a Motion to Recommit. Because of those weird rules I mentioned above, this meant that Congress would either have to agree to the Motion and have the bill sent back to committee — where it would die — or overrule the Motion. Now follow this carefully: part of the Motion Rep. Hall submitted was language added to the bill that said that it would prevent the government from paying salaries to employees who looked at porn on government computers.

By doing this, Hall basically bet all his chips. Hall’s move left Congress, notably Democrats, with two options: kill this much-needed bill that invests in America’s future in science and technology, or overrule a motion punishing people for downloading pornography. If they did the latter, the far right noise machine, always eager for red meat in the political arena, could then say Democrats voted to continue paying employees who looked at porn.
Why would Democrats pay salaries to employees who look at porn?

What the hell is wrong with you? The goal was to keep from funding science. So a "poison pill" was added into the bill so people wouldn't vote for it.

It's as if Republicans put "funding" for kiddy porn into a bill that extends unemployment benefits. Then the bill is voted down and Republicans could say, "See, we offered unemployment benefits to be extended but Democrats voted against it".

Historically, this has been one of the favorite tactics of Republicans.

You do know Republicans are NOT on the side of the American Middle Class? Right? You know that, right?

The goal was to keep from funding science?

I like Phil Plait, but he knows next to nothing about politics. (To be fair, he does know more than you, but that is not saying a lot.) This type of tactic is used all the time by both sides of the aisle. The goal here is not to kill any particular bill, it is to embarrass the other side, a bit like your other thread about Republicans supporting pedarasts because they rightfully opposed a bad law.
 
What do you expect, they sent Bolen to the UN.

and virginia foxx who is the new head of the higher education panel doesn't believe government should give student loans or do anything for higher education.

same old same old...

Why should the government be in the business of giving student loans? Guaranteeing them was enough until a couple of years ago. and taking them over destroyed thousands of jobs.
 
What do you expect, they sent Bolen to the UN.

and virginia foxx who is the new head of the higher education panel doesn't believe government should give student loans or do anything for higher education.

same old same old...

Why should the government be in the business of giving student loans? Guaranteeing them was enough until a couple of years ago. and taking them over destroyed thousands of jobs.

The government gave out the money. The government underwrote the loans. Middlemen skimmed the loans and ran up interest rates. Those are jobs we should get rid of. Just like insurance companies, I don't under understand why we we call skimming "capitalism". All it is is legal theft.
 
The bottom line is an 87 year old man who is completely unqualified is head of "Science and Technology" in this country. Republicans put him in charge. What does that tell you about Republicans and their view on "Science and Technology"?
 
The bottom line is an 87 year old man who is completely unqualified is head of "Science and Technology" in this country. Republicans put him in charge. What does that tell you about Republicans and their view on "Science and Technology"?
The bottom line is a 49 year old man who is completely unqualified is President. Democrats put him in charge. What does that tell you about Democrats and their view on "America and Freedom"?

Admit it rdean, your only mad at The Republicans because they thought of that maneuver first. You act as though Democrats have some sort of lock on ethics but you conveniently forget about Bill Clinton and his shrew of a wife Hillary.

My lesson learned from this (More like reinforced): "You put your trust into politicians and you will be disappointed every time".
 
Started this thread almost two years ago. Just as true today.

Notice, no right winger defends "science". And when I say "Republicans hate education", they do. Cutting funding for education is a way to show that hate.

Now what's hilarious is that Romney wants to bring immigrants here with degrees because it's cheaper and easier then trying to educate a Republican base that cheered when Rick Santorum called them stupid. You can read about it on Mitt's site. He's not even trying to hide it because he feels his base really is stupid.

Immigration | Mitt Romney for President

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoSmWK_-x4g]Mitt Romney Criticizes President Obama For Wanting To Hire More Police, Firemen and Teachers - YouTube[/ame]
 
If the rw's don't mind their candidate making money off tobacco, bet they won't mind a little porn.
 
If the rw's don't mind their candidate making money off tobacco, bet they won't mind a little porn.

People have a right to watch porn. :eusa_boohoo:

Not on their employer's time. However, the way the politics were used in this case is just another example of the anti-science attitude of the GOP. Until that changes, I will never vote for anyone on a ticket with the R behind their name.
 

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