Gov. Jindal Follow-up: What Is 'Volcano Monitoring'?

[Catshrink]

This is one more reason why I am sooooo happy Obama is our President!

Gov. Jindal Follow-up: What Is 'Volcano Monitoring'?

"After President Obama's speech on the economy last night, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal criticized government spending in the stimulus bill, citing examples including "$140 million for something called 'volcano monitoring.'"


The $140 million to which Jindal referred is actually for a number of projects conducted by the United States Geological Survey, including volcano monitoring. This monitoring is aimed at helping geologists understand the inner workings of volcanoes as well as providing warnings of impending eruptions, in the United States and in active areas around the world where U.S. military bases are located, such as the Philippines.

<snip>

Jindal's comment comes at a time when President Obama has pledged to return science to the White House, an effort widely applauded by scientists who felt shunned by the previous administration.


The criticism of government funding of scientific research was similar to remarks made last fall during the presidential campaign by vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, who was dismissive of fruit fly research.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/govjindalfollowupwhatisvolcanomonitoring

[av8rdave]

1. He and his party have been contemptuous of science for so long

He doesn't even understand what it is or why it's important.

Sad.

[Longhorn Liberal]

3. No, they understand what it is.

Although we would like to think every elected official in the republican party is ignorant about everything, they really aren't. They are smart and crafty. And they have their agenda, namely the further empowering of the already well empowered and the further enrichment of the already ludicrously rich. Science, or helping those that need help, or behaving like a decent human being does not advance their agenda. Not giving a flying fuck about science does not mean one is ignorant of science.

But why they are dangerous is because they reach out to those in our society (a majority, unfortunately) who do not understand science, who even fear it. And we ignore them.

[Catshrink]

4. It's amazing that a LA governor doesn't see the value in hurricane prediction.

:wtf:

[av8rdave]

6. I believe you accurately describe a lot of the party architects...

However, tools like Jindal are just party hangers - on. They are loyal to the party only because they see a future for themselves there. The party has long sold out to the right wing religious fundamental whackos, to the point where the mindless drones like Jindal don't even know the real history of it.

You are absolutely right about the real danger. Their aim is to use propaganda and fear to discredit science, and ultimately get the masses to fear science itself. After all, if you can convince the ignorant that belief in evolution/genetics/physics/etc is a one way ticket to hell...

[maxsolomon]

2. some math:

$140,000,000/$890,000,000,000 = .000157303.

GOP, you got nothin'. STFU.

[Catshrink]

5. 0.0157% of the stimulus money

It does seem trivial in that light. You're right: they got nothin'.

[edhopper]

7. You know

I get the feeling that the GOP don't realize that there are active volcanoes within the United States.

[pokerfan]

8. The Anti-Science Party's Rebuttal

Is there some new requirement in the Republican party that potential candidates for the presidency must be against basic science? Bobby Jindal gave a rebuttal to one of Obama's recent speeches, and what does he do? Criticizes the investment of "$140 million for something called 'volcano monitoring.'

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/02/jindal_continues_a_tradition.php