"Pig Book Oinkers" Don't Fly

Today, DK provided a particularly glaring example of sound-bite cherry-picking in the service of political propaganda.  The target, as usual, was Sarah Palin.  The theme was the typical, liberal, intellectual-elitist snark:  Republicans, by definition, are knuckle-dragging morons.  In this case, it's "Sarah Does Science", thoughtfully scribbled by "BarbinMD", whose very nom de plume assures her readers that she is a member of the Illuminati.  Doctor knows best.

The short piece is basically a rewrite of an equally short brain flatus from Think Progress.  It focuses on one minute (actually, 48 seconds) that was excised from a speech given by Governor Palin in Pittsburgh yesterday morning.  The intent was to "show" that she does not know anything about science.  All because she pointed out that there are some unworthy research projects that should not be funded.  As an example, she made a passing allusion to "fruit fly research in Paris, France". 

Sorry, "BarbinMD", this does not mean that Governor Palin does not know that Drosophila is a species that is commonly used in laboratory research.  That's stretching.  In fact, the project to which Palin referred is listed on the website of Citizens Against Government Waste as one of its "Pig Book 'Oinkers' of 2008".  The Think Progress posting even has a little tiny link to this site, but did not bother to add the fact that CAGW, not just Sarah Palin, has vetted the research and found it wanting on return on investment.  By the way, that's a capitalist term.  It means, in plain speech, that you should get something for your money.  But I don't expect a bunch of socialists to understand.

No, elitist scientific researchers of America, you cannot have grant money for your research just because you deem your hypothesis to be a sure ticket to a Nobel Prize.  You cannot stick your nose in the air while you talk down to those you deem unworthy of your lofty discourse.  Yes, you have to explain your proposal in layman's terms to those in government who have the fiduciary duty to the US taxpayer to fund only quality research.  Not only that, your work must be in the interest of the "public good," to quote Governor Palin.

Think Progress and "BarbinMD" are playing their usual left-wing propagandizing role:  diverting attention from the main themes of a conservative's message.  Here are the "talking points", as Dems are fond of calling them.  None of these policy proposals were mentioned in either source:

• expanding the options available to parents for the education of their children with special needs
• fully funding IDEA
• reforming current law to improve services for special needs children
• protecting financial arrangements for the care of these children, such as special needs trusts, from the consequences of higher taxes (to which Senator Obama has "an ideological commitment")

But don't take my word for it.  The full text of Governor Palin's prepared remark can be found here.  Accompanying the text is a video excerpt that focuses appropriately on Palin's message.

Based on the response of DK and Think Progress to Governor Palin's message, I must conclude that they deem the practice of medical research to be sublime, but its useful applications in improving the lives of actual human beings to be vulgar. 

In Response To:  Sarah Does Science

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