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[Trekkin]

They'll probably just beef up the bureaucracy and social programs though. Much less flashy. 

Good policy is rarely flashy; when it works properly, government is terribly boring, because everything works how people think it obviously should.

Except we haven't seen anything resembling good policy given a chance in a LONG time. Bureaucracy attached to good shit is tolerable. Bureaucracy with no redeeming factors is not.

And look how interesting the government is right now, and to so many people, too.

[RedKing]

They'll probably just beef up the bureaucracy and social programs though. Much less flashy. 

Good policy is rarely flashy; when it works properly, government is terribly boring, because everything works how people think it obviously should.

Except we haven't seen anything resembling good policy given a chance in a LONG time. Bureaucracy attached to good shit is tolerable. Bureaucracy with no redeeming factors is not.

And look how interesting the government is right now, and to so many people, too.

On that point, one of the EPA sub-department appointments looks headed for failure, because NC's two senators (usually available for parties, bar mitzvahs, and lobbyists with at least $500,000) are both voting no. The guy is a former industry toxicologist for a DuPont subsidiary that's been dumping unregulated chemicals into the Cape Fear river. So for once, these guys actually considered their constituents (even if only in the indirect sense of "holy shit, that's a PR landmine") over partisan concerns. I'd love to think that's the start of a trend, but....they did recently confirm the guy who said "modern air is a little too clean" to head up the Air Pollution department at the EPA. So yeah.

[smjjames]

Saying modern air is a bit too clean is like saying pre-industrial air is TOO clean, pfft....

[RedKing]

The gist of his comments was trying to analogize the argument that raising children in a super-sterile environment isn't good, because a mild exposure to low-risk bacteria and viruses helps build the immune system. There's definitely some empirical study supporting that.

But the argument Wehrum was making was that a little air pollution is good, because without it kids will have more allergies and be sensitive to pollution.

By that logic, we need to put a little arsenic in baby formula, because it'll make the kids less likely to get poisoned.

[Egan_BW]

That sounds sensible, in a mad-science kind of way.

[Frumple]

It makes you wonder if anyone's bothered to tell the guy the immune system and the respiratory one are somewhat different things.

[Starver]

Though, if you want the classical lesson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithridates_VI_of_Pontus#Death

[WealthyRadish]

The "air is too clean" argument is an outgrowth of neoclassical economics that has been circulating for some time, where modern economists assert that the most "efficient" outcome is one where some non-zero amount of the destructive activity occurs (I put "efficient" in scarequotes because it doesn't mean efficiency in everyday terms, but is instead under neoclassical economics virtually a euphemism for naked profit). It's an assertion that makes sense at least in an abstract sense, but the metrics that they judge it by are so far off-base that in effect it's just used to give a vague veneer of credibility to calls for deregulation.

Edit: Oh, if he's actually saying what RedKing summarized, then that's even more stupid.

[RedKing]

Yeah, it's a Pareto-optimal thing, which I get. (Of course, the same argument could apply to...oh, I don't know...border security?)

But saying the air needs to be dirtier, because it'll make kids healthier in the long-run is a far cry from "the air needs to be dirtier because it's too expensive to keep it really clean", which is the Pareto-optimum argument.

[Paxiecrunchle]

In other news, Trump’s administration just re-legalized (since it was Obama’s who made it illegal) the importing of elephant trophies.

....but why tho?

[NullForceOmega]

Presumably since mega-rich asshats like to have things that prove their disregard for plebian concerns.

[smjjames]

In other news, Trump’s administration just re-legalized (since it was Obama’s who made it illegal) the importing of elephant trophies.

....but why tho?

"It's something Obama did" is often their rationale, too often, and too convenient.

Anyways, something that has been fast spinning this morning, http://thehill.com/homenews/news/360656-woman-accuses-al-franken-of-kissing-groping-her-without-consent it came out that Sen Al Franken, before he became Senator, is accused of groping a reporters breasts and was caught on camera even, it was supposed to be a skit and he thought it was funny or something. Al Franken has apologized. McConnell has said that there should be an ethics investigation and Franken has agreed, saying he wants one, and some democrats are saying it could lead to his expulsion.

Sen. Graham has said last night that the identity of those two accused harassers should be revealed.

And a reminder that Trump still needs to be held accountable for his own misdeeds since the President cannot be an exception:
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/16/16666004/al-franken-donald-trump-sexual-harassment

[misko27]

Actually, I've heard of theories that a little bit of Arsenic might potentially be good for human beings. I don't believe we know; what we do know is too much will definitely kill you.

Also, Sean Hannity gave Roy Moore a 24-hour Ultimatum to adequately explain himself (a pretty serious shift from before), but then appeared to backtrack and stand by Moore later. I don't know what's going on with that at all.

@smjjames you kinda made a mistake.

[smjjames]

Actually, I've heard of theories that a little bit of Arsenic might potentially be good for human beings. I don't believe we know; what we do know is too much will definitely kill you.

Also, Sean Hannity gave Roy Moore a 24-hour Ultimatum to adequately explain himself (a pretty serious shift from before), but then appeared to backtrack and stand by Moore later. I don't know what's going on with that at all.

@smjjames you kinda made a mistake.

Dang autocorrect, thanks. Unless that wasn't the mistake you referred to.

[deathpunch578]

Dang autocorrect, thanks. Unless that wasn't the mistake you referred to.

I think he meant the fact that you had a copy of your whole post within the post