Bad Astronomy

More about elitism

I like elitism. I like the idea that there are people out there who are very, very good at what they do. I don’t want a doctor who doesn’t understand biology, I don’t want a plumber who can’t use a wrench, and I don’t want politicians who cannot think properly.

That last bit is the sticky one.

In this case, it’s the Bush Administration’s (typically idiotic and Orwellian) recent finagling with the Endangered Species Act: according to the plan, experts in environmentalism would no longer need to be sought out before policy is made. Want to make a dam that will threaten the ecology of a species? Go right ahead! Expert advice need not apply.

Professor Astronomy has some words on this, and the post is very good and well laid out (and needless to say, I agree with it). The Professor claims not to want to write about politics, but and I certainly hope (s)he continues to do so. We could use more elitists like that.