First stage win for science in US House of Representatives
Guest post by Russ Steele
There has been a lot of discussion of the election results in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas by the talking head on TV and talk show pundits on the radio, not not much information on the results in Oregon. Why am I interested in the results on Oregon? Glad you asked.
Art Robinson ran in the GOP Primary to represent the Oregon in 4th Congressional District. Wise Republican voters selected Dr. Art Robinson to represent them in the November 2010 Congressional race against Democrat Peter DeFazio.
I saw an online video by Art Robinson at the 4th International Climate Change Conference explaining why he is running. He wants to being some scientific rationality to the discussions on issues in Congress, especially climate change. “Let’s have at least one real scientist in Congress,” he said.
Dr Robertson is an expert on energy and founder of the Oregon Institute of Science & Medicine. He is widely known for his petition signed by more than 31,000 American scientists exposing human-caused global warming as a fraud.
He will be running against Democrat Peter DeFazio, a 12-term incumbent career politician who has alienated many voters by unpopular and controversial actions in favor of big government. Art Robinson has a good chance of bringing some rational science to the House of Representatives.
This will be an important race to watch in November. If you think we need more science in our law making process please send Art Robinson your support. His web site is here.
Second paragraph should say “He want to bring…”
This is no ‘win for science’. Maybe for somebody’s political views.. Dr Robinson’ petition provides no evidence that “human-caused global warming is a fraud”,unless you classify wishful assertion as evidence. Come on now,I thought this was a ‘science blog’.
Your right, more representatives and senators with an actual knowledge of proper science is sorely needed in this new century, ASAP.
It’s about time we had a real scientist in Congress and not some of those who belong to the Union of Confused Scientists.
if a Democrat is in trouble in Oregon you know there is change happening in America. Oregon is a D state.
Barbara Boxer is in trouble in California too—a heavily D state.
Washington doesn’t need just real scientists, but real businessmen, real farmers, real clergy, real accountants, real lawyers—the best of all walks of life. Enough with the career politicians.
I love to see him in a debate with DeFazio!
LOL – yeah Nick the last thing we want are those pesky scientists getting involved in guberment….meanwhile
Re the Oregon Petition providing no evidence that “human-caused global warming is a fraud”: The same can be said of the petitions that support CAGW.
Thanks Nick. Always good to have respectful dissent.
I won’t be suprised to see former OSU professor Jane Lubchenco campainging for the 12 term incumbent career politician Democrat Peter DeFazio.
After all he is a loyal warmer and a certain vote for all things AGW movement.
Nick, you are right it proves there is no consensus.
FYI the petition did not reject AGW rather AGW alarm and the need for government intervention.
Amino Acids in Meteorites: May 19, 2010 at 11:04 pm
Washington doesn’t need just real scientists, but real businessmen, real farmers, real clergy, real accountants, real lawyers—the best of all walks of life.
In other words, a return to what the framers of the Constitution had in mind when they wrote it.
Wow — what a radical idea!
… 2.75 million years ago
You are absolutely wrong in thinking he has a chance of defeating DeFazio. If he gets 33% of the vote it will be a miracle. Peter is as close to unbeatable as any politician in Oregon. In the last 7 elections he has done almost no advertising and has never scored less than 60%. According to poles he has the highest favorable ratings in the state. I’m not sure where you heard of the ground surge of discontent, but I sure think they will be proved wrong. I think Art Robinson has a REALLY hard race.
Take a look at his website- sorry to read about the sudden deaths of his father and wife.
But with scientists like this, who needs ideologues?
Ayn Rand, eat your heart out.
Looks like he’s not so hot on evolution, either. He’s the read deal!
I certainly hope Dr. Robinson wins this November but, in all truth, it’s going to be a very tough race for him . From the web site whorunsgov.com:
http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Peter_A._DeFazio
Wow. In Oregon – land of the Spotted Owl!
It was massive political meddling which induced and then nurtured the AGW myth.
Why not a ‘scientific politician’ who through his expertise can shed some much needed light bring sanity and the reason of cold logic to an over hyped postulation.
Since it’s inception in the early 80’s, measured science has never really entered the equation, big government has heightened the threat and used dubious ‘science’ (channelled millions into university faculties, advertisements, research grants etc) to further the big lie and to over emphasise AGW hazards through using ridiculous what would happen if? scenarios – (Al Gore’s scurrilous docudrama ‘The inconvenient truth’, a perfect example) .
So yes even up the score, scientists in politics.
Better still, take politics out of science…….. and nobody would have heard of AGW.
I am not a member of the Colonies so your politics is relatively unfamiliar to me. BUT to my American friends, I suggest you tread with a modicum of caution. I applaud the sentiment of having more scientists involved in the political process, but Margaret Thatcher possessed a science degree, one of very few MPs who did. She was battling with the coal mining unions, & the Arabs over oil, & she rightly chose the nuclear path. She needed a device to put both out of kilter to reduce their domination of the energy scene ( previous COnservative government was brought down by striking miners in the early 1970s). That device was global warming & she set up the Tyndall Centre for starters, that was to manufacture evidence for AGW, regardless of whether anybody believed in it! Then the greeny nit wits got involved, Chenobyl blew up, & bang went the idea of nuclear powered Britain despite evidence pointing to poor safety processes, old inefficient design of reactor, (long live Soviet Russia) after all never let facts & reality enter a political debate! Be careful what you wish for, it might come true!
rob,
“You are absolutely wrong in thinking he has a chance of defeating DeFazio. If he gets 33% of the vote it will be a miracle. Peter is as close to unbeatable as any politician in Oregon. In the last 7 elections he has done almost no advertising and has never scored less than 60%. According to polls he has the highest favorable ratings in the state.” etc, etc, etc.
Isn’t that what the pundits were saying about the Massachusetts gubernatorial election? Supposed to have been a rock solid Democratic seat for 20 thousand years.
Alan the Brit has a good point I think. Beware anybody looking for power – especially if they claim to be doing it out of charity. The real question, as is always the case with politicians: is he the lesser of two evils?
Blogged with video here:
http://powerandcontrol.blogspot.com/2010/05/scientist-in-congress.html
and here:
http://www.classicalvalues.com/archives/2010/05/a_scientist_in.html
You really need to put up one of the videos.
I like this one:
Much as I would like to see DeFazio go, I think its unlikely. Oregon politics is very similar to CA, with elections being determined essentially by one country, which is full of people who would vote for Attilla the Hun, Mao Tse Tung or Adolf Hitler so long as he had a ‘D’ after his name.
Oregon is NOT a blue state. Oregon is a bright RED state with a couple of concentrated blue counties packed with people from CA and NY.
@ Just add water
Thanks for the link.
Amino acids 11:04
No-No. We don’t need anymore lawyers in congress! One is too many.
I hope he does well. There is a major dearth of technically-oriented people in political positions. How in the world can lawyers, economists, union activists, community organizers, and the like evaluate technical issues? Where are all the mathematicians, physicists, chemists, engineers and computer programmers? Are they too smart to get mixed up in politics? ;-> No wonder our political masters are so easily confused by charts and numbers.
While I would vote for Dr. Robinson if I could, The Repub nomination in this case looks like an empty prize. He will be wildly underfunded in a blue district with views that are easy for the media to misrepresent and make look rediculous.
These are
Algore seats. Like the Kennedy seat. They are transferred in the family.
Nick says:
May 19, 2010 at 10:42 pm
This is no ‘win for science’. Maybe for somebody’s political views.. Dr Robinson’ petition provides no evidence that “human-caused global warming is a fraud”,unless you classify wishful assertion as evidence. Come on now,I thought this was a ‘science blog’.
Nick, you sort of missed the point. The petition was to demonstrate that there was no AGW consensus, not to prove that AGW is a fraud. The petition performed it’s function very well.
The petition was before anyone who cared to look could see that AGW is fraud and there is no consensus. Now that we can see that, it has become obvious that most members of congress and everyone in the Obama administration can’t even read. It is time to send someone to represent us that will at least bother to read up on what they are supposed to know enough about to cast an intelligent vote.
Amino Acids in Meteorites says:
“””
if a Democrat is in trouble in Oregon you know there is change happening in America. Oregon is a D state.
“””
Maybe in this case the Democrats are in trouble, but in other
cases the Republicans refuse to nominate anyone I could possibly
vote for and I think a lot of others agree with me even if they
have issues with the Democrats.
Actually Pete isn’t as bad as say,Boxer, he is in a purple district, and full of old Oregon
types who seem him as one who can stand up to the Dems when needed and and roll
over when needed. So, Art has a challenge. I supported his last challenger, but he
didn’t get anywhere. However there is even in Oregon, a very unhappy electorate,
and this year anything could happen…
SIGHHhh, I can not stand either the demirats or the rebooblicans but I do not dare vote independent in this comming election because it is too important to vote the thugs out.
And yes, if I was in Oregon I would vote for Dr Robinson.
Bill Tuttle says:
May 19, 2010 at 11:26 pm :
Absolutely correct! By reverting to the Framers view of government by citizen legislators, Congressional sessions could be limited to 30 and 90 day sessions in alternate years and both house and senate members should term limit after 8 years. Just think of the number of staff employees and special interest lobbyists, especially those representing labor unions, will loose their jobs. Going one step further, the federal government is too large to succeed. Radical surgery is needed to reduce it to a functional and manageable size.
I lived in Oregon just one year and was dismayed at the group-think displayed by many of the people there–especially those that considered themselves Democrats. If I still lived there, I’d campaign for Dr. Robinson.
And regarding Nick’s comment, the 31,000 SCIENTISTS certainly beat the list of political pundits and quasi-scientists that signed onto the UN’s unscrupulous scaremongering on behalf of the global warming/climate change/global governance/tax us to death agenda. As a scientist myself and one of the signatories of that list, I believe “human-caused global warming” is an inferrence at most; it is not even an hypothesis. Or call it a cult; that’s a much more accurate description of their modus operandi.
One of the best things about Oregon is that by and large the electorate is intelligent enough to vote on issues according to the merits and don’t need or welcome partisan political suggestions from people who have no business sticking their noses into our affairs.
Thank you.
red432 says:
May 20, 2010 at 6:54 am
“in other cases the Republicans refuse to nominate anyone I could possibly vote for”
This is a longstanding issue in Oregon.
I have right-leaning tendencies, but on several occasions have been unable to put my cross next to the name of the GOP candidate, having to choose either a semi-harmless Democrat, a libertarian or simply no vote.
There are names which keep re-surfacing which have lost and lost and lost, and the message just doesn’t get through, even when they are told outright why these people are unelectable.
Some Guy has just loosened my wallet; I think I’ll contribute to Dr. Robinson’s campaign this fall. Besides, should he become a Representative, his decisions will impact me just as much as someone living in Oregon even though I no longer live there.
It will get really interesting when this Tea Party movement starts to seriously rub up against the international bankers and their kinfolks.
I have bookmarked his web page and will send him $20.
As a life long Democrat who has NEVER voted Republican before, this November will be new milestone.
.
I used to hold my nose and vote the party line as my views tended to follow these better than not, but no more.
.
So it is time to hold my nose and vote Republican this year as cap and trade looks to be a bigger problem than any pocket change they can steal.
The time has come to “put up or shut up”.
I will contribute 50 US dollars to Art Robinson’s campaign fund, though I do not reside in Oregon. I will provide similar funds to common sense candidates of my choosing in other states as well, as we run up to the November elections. I am currently and will continue to be far more active in grass roots political actions than I have ever been before, in reaction to my personal disgust for the taxpayer subsidized frauds that pose as climate scientists and the government sponsored carbon trading schemes that provide nonsolutions to nonproblems whilst crippling our energy production and economies.
I challenge each person appreciative of Anthony Watts most excellent blog to tune out the nattering nabobs of nincompoopie like Nick, interrogate their own conscience and savings accounts, and put your individual resolve and money where your mouth is. We CAN reform our bloated and nonfunctional governments at the local, state, and federal levels. But we are going to have to earn it. That means identifying and supporting worthy political candidates with our dollars, technical skills, time and efforts.
We have a scant 5 months before the November elections to wrought real change to the political landscape, revoke the license of the worst offenders, and rebuke the remainder for their infidelity to our Constitution and for bankrupting our Treasury. There is no time left to lose, lest all be lost.
It’s time to “put our money where our mouth is”. I Will. Will You?
Take it from an Oregonia, DeFazio will win handily. Not only is his district blue even a lot of conservatives like him. Might not agree with some of his points but they still like him. Essentially 3 counties run this state and they are all blue, one of those counties belong to him.
Should add, the governors race is going to be an interesting one. Kitzhaber ran the state for two terms and has been retired for a couple terms. Nows he’s back to try and finish this state off, he left his second term saying Oregon is ungovernable. The challenger is Chris Dudley, former member of the Trailblazers and I’ve been saying for years for an R to win they would have to have name recognition.
The libs started up a website the very night Dudley won the republican primary. Can you guess what one of their main attack points are? He doesn’t have the experience needed for such an important office…..Obama anyone?
I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Robinson at his research laboratories at OISM. I was traveling with my son (a budding scientist at that time) and was curious about OISM. With a google map we drove the country roads to the OISM laboratories and introduced ourselves to a very gracious Dr. Robinson. We initially hoped for a brief overview of the facilities, however Dr. Robinson treated us to an extensive review of molecular theories related to aging and the application of the Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometer to polypeptide residue analysis. As an analytical chemist, I was of course in my element, however I was most impressed by the enthusiastic interest that Dr. Robinson displayed in influencing a young scientific mind. His thoughtfulness and scientific enthusiasm will remain an indelible memory which will remain with me forever. I strongly support Dr. Robinson’s run for the house. Oregon will be fortunate indeed to have him on Her side.
Sorry Dr. Robinson, but I prefer my own decisions over my body, and dammit, it is hard enough to find someone to love without someone else telling us who we can and cannot love legally and bindingly. Give me a fiscal and military conservative (don’t spend and don’t go) who leaves my private life out of their business, and they will get my vote. But NOT till then.
Pamela can you show me where Dr. Robinson suggests telling you who you can and cannot love? Seriously. It seems you really support a libertarian position, which is fine but Dr. Robinson is clearly a fiscal conservative and that is what he is running on. I assume your other issue is his pro-life position. If a life amendment never even got out of any committee in a very socially conservative congress with one of the most socially conservative presidents in history (Bush) it will never happen. The argument BTW from the pro-life side is not about telling you what to do with your body but with the rights of the unborn. While one is directly related to the other, the intent is not as nefarious as you imply. The problem with this issue is both sides just talk past each other.
The right of an unborn human (yes, “human”) has far, far more rights than any body decision you may have, Pamela. Otherwise your so-called “love” is anything but. Because adding another “human” suddenly expands your “private life” into a two-some, and that second person deserves protection. Certainly you’re not giving it.
“One of the best things about Oregon is that by and large the electorate is intelligent enough to vote on issues according to the merits …”
Thank you for that wonderful satire. Oregon has foisted an awful Democrat incumbent on the rest of America in the execrable DeFazio, a man who votes to steal our prosperity, freedom and American future through votes for trillion dollar deficits, bailouts, Government takeovers, and stupid regulations that kill jobs and ship our industrial base overseas.
DeFazio is part of the problem and supporting him makes you part of the problem too.
Every time you vote for a Democrat and American loses a job.
Save America and make the Democrat lose his job.
“Sorry Dr. Robinson, but I prefer my own decisions over my body”
Pamela, Dr Robinson is running against a guy who decided to unconstitutionally mandate you buy Federal-approved health insurance, a massive intrusion on your personal ability to make decisions over your own body. Your position is incompatible with support for Obamacare and anyone who supports it.
As such, you should be thrilled than an opponent with a scientific background has emerged to take on an incumbent that voted to strip away your healthcare freedom.
“Take it from an Oregonia, DeFazio will win handily. Not only is his district blue even a lot of conservatives like him. Might not agree with some of his points but they still like him.”
6 million private sector jobs lost since the Democrats took control of Congress. $1.5 trillion deficits. A plague of new regulations and taxes that kill jobs. Takeover of healthcare with unconstitutional mandates. Refusal to fix real problems, refusal to focus on long-term jobs and economic growth. Worst Congress Ever.
And useful idiots who should know better vote for a man who is responsible for the destruction of America through the most maddeningly awful policies in the worst Congress in our lifetimes … oh, because they ‘like him’. Forgive them Lord, they know not what they do.
This is NOT the year to vote for incumbent Democrat demagogues just because they sell their swill with a smile. The underlying irresponsible, spend-it-all, tax-more, Government-knows-best philosophy is destroying America! Either you vote to save America by defeating every Democrat incumbent you can, or you are part of the problem as America becomes the next Greece. DeFazio and Pelosi and the rest and all those who support them are part of the problem.
Dr Robinson and hundreds like him – honest citizens and not professional politicians running to stand up for their principles – are the solution. It would be wonderful and fascinating to have a brand new Congress with hundreds of new members including him in it. THEN we might actually go about solving the problems we face. Don’t squash the last best hope for America.
PJ, I’m not a DeFazio supporter by any means (I did vote for him myself before I pulled my head out sand and looked around) but it’s just the reality of his district. Could he lose? Yes but the odds are really in his favor. We have local conservative radio host that also has a national show so you might of heard of him, Lars Larson. DeFazio is one of the few dems willing to come on his local show, that’s because he knows he has absolutely nothing to fear come election time. Dems in Oregon automatically vote for anybody with a D by their name. Independents in Oregon generally vote for anyone with a D by there name which gives any D more then 50% of the votes before the RINO’s vote.
Oregon will not change their “D” standing. This primary proved that Oregonians are happy with politics as usual. They voted across the board for even more tax increases (already the highest in the country after last year’s 300+ tax & fee increases). Then the Republicans nominate another big spender like Art Robinson who dropped over 1/4 million dollars in less than 2 months.
Something is wrong here. Do a thorough search of the guy. He hasn’t a chance against DeFazio.
Skeptical,
I am skeptical of your motives and agenda. There is now a credible challenger to DeFazio, and there has never been a better time in the last 30 years to run against an incumbent who has done more than his part to wreck the economy.
Also, please explain your vague comment that Robinson “dropped over 1/4 million dollars in less than 2 months.” What does that mean? Was that taxpayer money? And does ‘1/4 million’ sound scarier than $250,000? And how does that compare with someone on a multi-trillion dollar spending spree like DeFazio — who has voted to spend every dollar that Obama wants? If DeFazio happens to be re-elected, will he suddenly stop his profligate waste of taxpayers’ money?
November is approaching, and it is time to replace in career politicians like DeFazio before they completely bankrupt the country for their own personal gain.
“Then the Republicans nominate another big spender like Art Robinson who dropped over 1/4 million dollars in less than 2 months. ”
This has to be one of the most ridiculous comments I have ever read. Spending campaign money to get elected has nothing to do with spending tax payer money. Dr. Robinson is a strict fiscal conservative not a “big spender” as you attempted to imply. Do you have any remote idea what you are talking about?
James says:
May 20, 2010 at 12:54 pm
The time has come to “put up or shut up”.
I will contribute 50 US dollars to Art Robinson’s campaign fund, though I do not reside in Oregon. I will provide similar funds to common sense candidates of my choosing in other states as well, as we run up to the November elections. I am currently and will continue to be far more active in grass roots political actions than I have ever been before, in reaction to my personal disgust for the taxpayer subsidized frauds….
It’s time to “put our money where our mouth is”. I Will. Will You?
_________________________________________________________________________
Yes I too will donate. I very much like Art Robinson. I talked to him when I bought his home schooling info to help tutor the kids in the neighborhood many years ago.
I checked out “Pete” and at least he is not the run off-the-mill demi-rat. His website said he may run for governor in 2010. I would love to see that because I think Pete has the good sense and intelligence to make Oregon a great governor.
“PJ, I’m not a DeFazio supporter by any means (I did vote for him myself before I pulled my head out sand and looked around) but it’s just the reality of his district.”
OK, I’m glad you ‘woke up’. There are millions of votes for “Bailout Nation” especially among those who benefit from subsidizing irresponsibility. Others are ignorant.
“Dems in Oregon automatically vote for anybody with a D by their name. Independents in Oregon generally vote for anyone with a D by there name ”
I am hoping against hope that this year is different. If the riots in Greece, the meltdown of the Euro and the fact that the ObamaNation has the exact same irresponsible fiscal policy as Greece has doesnt wake people up, nothing will.
“November is approaching, and it is time to replace in career politicians like DeFazio before they completely bankrupt the country for their own personal gain.”
Smokey – If it was about personal gain, then it would be correctible. No – we have something more insidious – these clowns actually think destroying our nation fiscally is somehow a good thing, and millions of idiot voters (ie anyone voting Democrat this year) agree; it’s truly insane.
“Maybe in this case the Democrats are in trouble, but in other
cases the Republicans refuse to nominate anyone I could possibly
vote for and I think a lot of others agree with me even if they
have issues with the Democrats.”
Translation: I am bigoted against Christians. So, I will just have to let idiots sink the whole damned country because I would rather have them destroy the place than let those already self righteous bastards get any credit when they save it using nothing more than common sense and the courage to say no to some whiners.
Michael mann is nothing but a big load and a thief, on top of that – he ripped off those funds by LYING about AGW…IT DOESN’T EXIST. And as for Al “Global Warming’s gonna make me rich” Gore…how huge of an insult is it that George W. Bush’s house is more environmentally friendly than his?
[snip – just a bit over the top, sorry. You are welcome to rephrase]