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2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
- Thread starter Kepler
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Rimbaud
New member
Kepler
Cornell Big Red
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
The best thing about threads like this is finding out Miami has a law school.
Kepler
Cornell Big Red
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
We should just cut to the chase and elect poets for Democrats and high school PE coaches for Republicans. Policy would wind up the same.
Nah. All the engineers I've met are either idiots or disengaged when it comes to politics.
We should just cut to the chase and elect poets for Democrats and high school PE coaches for Republicans. Policy would wind up the same.
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
That's because they're too busy optimizing flow rates and such(no matter how many times I read this sentence, it seems like it's a reference to menstruation).
The poets have to be flamboyantly gay, and the PE coaches need to be uptight about their sexuality - and they have to live together "Real World" style. Don't tell me millions of people wouldn't watch this show, particularly when you throw in a few nutty broads.
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
Huntsman is the only one that doesn't make me want to puke.
Nice Venn diagram from 538.
Huntsman is the only one that doesn't make me want to puke.
Kepler
Cornell Big Red
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
Until you said that, I always thought about the motto of the New York Sewer System. "Keep it moving."
Luckily, a couple of nutty broads are available.
There has to be lots of alcohol, too. Bill Clinton can host.
That's because they're too busy optimizing flow rates and such(no matter how many times I read this sentence, it seems like it's a reference to menstruation).
Until you said that, I always thought about the motto of the New York Sewer System. "Keep it moving."
The poets have to be flamboyantly gay, and the PE coaches need to be uptight about their sexuality - and they have to live together "Real World" style. Don't tell me millions of people wouldn't watch this show, particularly when you throw in a few nutty broads.
Luckily, a couple of nutty broads are available.
There has to be lots of alcohol, too. Bill Clinton can host.
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
Except down there, the bar has no relation to the law school.The best thing about threads like this is finding out Miami has a law school.
dxmnkd316
Lucia Apologist
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
You haven't met an engineer then. Most of the engineers I have met are quite intelligent and are quite engaged in politics. That being said, my universe of engineers is all chemical engineers.
You haven't met an engineer then. Most of the engineers I have met are quite intelligent and are quite engaged in politics. That being said, my universe of engineers is all chemical engineers.
Kepler
Cornell Big Red
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
It's no knock on engineers. Very few people are strong outside their field.
The engineers I've met have been very intelligent -- just not about politics.
It's no knock on engineers. Very few people are strong outside their field.
dxmnkd316
Lucia Apologist
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
Ah, my mistake. I completely misread that. Honestly though, most of the engineers I know are very well-versed when it comes to politics. Varying degrees of the political spectrum as well. From the hardcore "DRILL MOTHERF*KERS DRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!! GWAAARRRRR!!!" to the bleeding heart liberal (though I can't recall any far enough left to be classified as a pinko commie).
Ah, my mistake. I completely misread that. Honestly though, most of the engineers I know are very well-versed when it comes to politics. Varying degrees of the political spectrum as well. From the hardcore "DRILL MOTHERF*KERS DRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!! GWAAARRRRR!!!" to the bleeding heart liberal (though I can't recall any far enough left to be classified as a pinko commie).
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
Their professional staffs / assistants can help with the political side. My point about electing engineers has everything to do with their no-nonsense problem-solving approach. Lawyers just want to argue; engineers just want to fix and prevent problems. I think that attitude is badly needed given how things have been going for the past umpteen years in our government.
Their professional staffs / assistants can help with the political side. My point about electing engineers has everything to do with their no-nonsense problem-solving approach. Lawyers just want to argue; engineers just want to fix and prevent problems. I think that attitude is badly needed given how things have been going for the past umpteen years in our government.
Kepler
Cornell Big Red
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
Engineers would make great legislators in a homogenous state. Introduce any diversity of aims and... not so much.
They're cute, though, particularly the nerdy girls, so we keep them around for entertainment.
It's the exact opposite in real life. Staff is where technical expertise is. Members are people who know how to do deals and compromise. The essence of politics in a democratic society is not problem-solving. Everybody has a solution and many of the solutions are widely different or even mutually exclusive in some respects. The engineering mindset quickly becomes frustrated because it goes back to simple, linear testability of hypotheses: things are either disproven and rejected or not disproven and provisionally somewhat stronger. The social sphere does not work that way, because it has to accommodate you, Old Pio, and me, and none of us have the same definitions of terms, scope, or "success."
Engineers would make great legislators in a homogenous state. Introduce any diversity of aims and... not so much.
They're cute, though, particularly the nerdy girls, so we keep them around for entertainment.
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Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
Guess I'd have to extend Keps POV.
Engineers have a great role to play...building the best mousetrap. Yet when solutions including complex interrelationships outside of a single system or include variability based on human behavior...there are other mindsets more capable (ie the strategic prowess of corporate execs).
Guess I'd have to extend Keps POV.
Engineers have a great role to play...building the best mousetrap. Yet when solutions including complex interrelationships outside of a single system or include variability based on human behavior...there are other mindsets more capable (ie the strategic prowess of corporate execs).
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
I agree that there should be far fewer laywers. However I'd like to see them replaced with people from all fields. It certainly would be nice to have more people that have actually ran a business designing regulations that will be imposed on businesses.
I agree that there should be far fewer laywers. However I'd like to see them replaced with people from all fields. It certainly would be nice to have more people that have actually ran a business designing regulations that will be imposed on businesses.
unofan
Well-known member
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
Because a businessman who has devoted his entire life to maximizing profit automatically knows how to best prevent other businesses from polluting our navigable waters, or how to make sure employees are treated fairly. White knighting the rich, err job-creators, is fine as far as it goes. But just because Warren Buffett is a great investor, or Sam Walton was a great businessman, doesn't mean they'd make great politicians.
Because a businessman who has devoted his entire life to maximizing profit automatically knows how to best prevent other businesses from polluting our navigable waters, or how to make sure employees are treated fairly. White knighting the rich, err job-creators, is fine as far as it goes. But just because Warren Buffett is a great investor, or Sam Walton was a great businessman, doesn't mean they'd make great politicians.
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
Henry Ford and Steve Jobs were visionaries first and knowledgeable about products second. Its these people working with an engineer on the side is the way to get things done.
Henry Ford and Steve Jobs were visionaries first and knowledgeable about products second. Its these people working with an engineer on the side is the way to get things done.
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
Its not like they would be the only ones writing the regulations. It would be nice for them to be there to help show the impact it will have on a business. That kind of cost/benefit analysis is sorely lacking in gov't today.
Its not like they would be the only ones writing the regulations. It would be nice for them to be there to help show the impact it will have on a business. That kind of cost/benefit analysis is sorely lacking in gov't today.
Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel
So where does that leave us? Mediocre is king??????
But the converse sounds true, too. Great politicians would make lousy businessmen.
So where does that leave us? Mediocre is king??????
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