Ted Cruz appointed to chair Senate committee on Science and Space programs

[klnOmega]

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jan/12/republican-senator-ted-cruz-nasa-congress

Ted Cruz has been appointed Chair of a Senate committee overseeing space and science programs, including NASA.

In case you guys don't know, Cruz has moved to cut NASA's budget a few times in the past. He has been an opponent of radical Global Warming theories for years now, and has also attempted EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) budget cuts several times.


Opinion:
Assuming he isn't just a useless windbag (he is), this could be great for the future of science and space exploration. He's always been trying to make meaningful change in these areas, as opposed to most politicians who want to blindly throw money at whatever name-brand science theories/science agencies are trending at the time.

 

[FIMN]

It's a bit depressing.

 

[weed]

wtf? Russia is smiling a black toothed grin at us

 

[Ayin]

klnOmega's trolling is subtle and actually really well done. I didn't even realize it until this topic, but you're really putting in some great work.

 

[m52nickerson]

So they have decided to let the monkey drive the ship...that will end well!

 

[klnOmega]

klnOmega's trolling is subtle and actually really well done. I didn't even realize it until this topic, but you're really putting in some great work.

Could you please not derail the thread with ad hominems? Do you have opinion on the appointment?

 

[punky brewster]

Could you please not derail the thread with ad hominems? Do you have opinion on the appointment?

He has an opinion on the thread, which is about the appointment.

 

[punky brewster]

Could you please not derail the thread with ad hominems? Do you have opinion on the appointment?

Isn't the thread itself ad hominem?

 

[Limbo Pete]

Ugh

 

[klnOmega]

Isn't the thread itself ad hominem?

No. Do you know what an ad hominem is?

The thread is about Ted Cruz being appointed to Senate committee mentioned. I then go on to give my opinion on the appointment.

 

[Ayin]

It's not an attack, it's a compliment.


That being said, from the perspective of someone outside the US, having someone from your government with little or no background or understanding of an issue be put in charge of an agency doesn't seem that uncommon. I wouldn't be shocked if evidence was presented showing that the Senator in charge of public health was vocally 'Vaccines = Autism' or if one on women's issues thought the body had a way to shut down pregnancy if it was a 'legitimate rape'. I don't think anyone would be shocked if a senator in charge of geological surveys asked the head scientist how they could track tectonic plate movements for the last 10,000 years if the earth is only 6000 years old.

That's not an attack on people from the US, but those a fairly in line with the kinds of things we expect to hear about your officials.

 

[second sight]

Hopefully he doesn't cut funding to their muslim outreach programs

It's not really surprising that President Obama told NASA administrator Charles Bolden that his highest priority should be "to find a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with dominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science ... and math and engineering."

Read more: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/07/07/nasas_muslim_outreach_106214.html#ixzz3OonnDTqd
Follow us: @RCP_Articles on Twitter

that stupidity should put to rest any conversation regarding Sen Cruz's lack of understanding of NASA

 

[Gametheory]

Good idea to put someone in charge of something he has no clue about.
Though to be fair, that would mean they can't put him in charge anywhere but maybe a church choir.

 

[punky brewster]

No. Do you know what an ad hominem is?

The thread is about Ted Cruz being appointed to Senate committee mentioned. I then go on to give my opinion on the appointment.

Yes, I know what an ad hominem is. I think the part where you call Cruz a "useless windbag" qualifies.

 

[TheBox]

Yes, I know what an ad hominem is. I think the part where TS calls Cruz a "useless windbag" qualifies.

That's not ad hominem.

It would be ad hominem if he was debating Ted Cruz and called him a "useless windbag" instead of attacking Cruz' arguments.

 

[Jack V Savage]

Does Cruz even believe in space?

 

[punky brewster]

That's not ad hominem.

It would be ad hominem if he was debating Ted Cruz and called him a "useless windbag" instead of attacking Cruz' arguments.

You don't have to be directly speaking to or addressing a person for a comment to be ad hominem.

This is a masterful troll thread, though. I'm on sherdog, debating semantics. Jesus....
Cheers TS.

 

[Irenaeus]

Does Cruz even believe in space?

By "space", I assume you mean the aether between the Celestial Spheres?


Jk. Cruz doesn't know Ptolemy.

 

[klnOmega]

Yes, I know what an ad hominem is. I think the part where you call Cruz a "useless windbag" qualifies.

That's not an ad hominem.

An ad hominem fallacy occurs when you dismiss an argument, or say your opponent is wrong, because of some perceived flaw in their character.


Ad hominem

You: If it is raining out, then people carry umbrellas. People are carrying umbrellas. Therefor it must be raining!
Me: Well I think you are a useless windbag, so it isn't raining.



Not Ad hominem.

You: If it is raining out, then people carry umbrellas. People are carrying umbrellas. Therefor it must be raining!
Me: That is an ill-formed argument because you are affirming the consequent. People could have umbrellas for reason other than it raining. Also, I think you are a useless windbag.

 

[Kneepocalypse]

This is more extreme than any satire or parody could have been.