Let's just say it: the Republicans are the problem

[jacobi]

The progressive's natural inclination is to demonize them for their shortcomings or the purity and simplicity of their thought.

I think you might be misrepresenting progressives.  I would explain why, but I have a final to take translating one of those old dead dude's that I'm supposed to demonize.  Wish me luck.

[Gaspar]

I think you might be misrepresenting progressives.  I would explain why, but I have a final to take translating one of those old dead dude's that I'm supposed to demonize.  Wish me luck.

Good luck! 

[AquaMan]

I think you might be misrepresenting progressives.  I would explain why, but I have a final to take translating one of those old dead dude's that I'm supposed to demonize.  Wish me luck.

The remark about progressives in the post was mystifying. It doesn't fit either in 19th century France or now. Otherwise descriptive of the natural process of politics. Another French quote I like, Plus ca change, plus ca changere. We keep thinking everything is different now and we don't have to refer to history for guidance. Stupid humans.

[Gaspar]

The remark about progressives in the post was mystifying.

Why?  That's how it plays out almost every time.

[AquaMan]

Why?  That's how it plays out almost every time.

You're using progressive in lower case as a pseudonym for Liberal. John Locke wasn't a progressive, he was a Liberal. By doing that you lead people to believe that the very founders of Liberal thought, which is progressive in nature, are dismissed by current day Liberals, aka Progressives.

You took a good post and soured it with your disdain for modern day Liberals. Frankly, I could see an argument for modern day T-Party conservatives dismissing the warnings of past intellectuals about the nature and evolution of political systems. They are the ones fighting to control the legislatures and fighting for division of spoils. But that's just my view.

At least that's what I got from it.

[we vs us]

There are basic activities that government should/must provide.  Yes, the government needs the ability to tax its citizens.  Simple so far.  Now we get to the more nitty-gritty.  Should some get these services free?  Who are they?  What level of support is "fair".  Should the US Government tax George Kaiser to the level that he no longer feels like donating huge chunks of money to local projects?  I have no idea what that level may be for him or anyone with his level of wealth.  Bank accounts at his level are just foreign numbers to me.   Even one the liberals' favorite whipping boy, Bill O'Reilly says he would willingly pay more taxes if some conditions of accountability were met. 

And you know what?  You are being entirely reasonable.  Sadly, your party doesn't subscribe to these tenets, which is what the original article is saying.   

[heironymouspasparagus]

m

[Townsend]

Speech by members of Congress drops a grade level due to conservatives and new members, according to study

(So it may be them but they're blaming their constituents)

Are members of Congress dumbing down their discourse?

The Sunlight Foundation determined that Congress is talking at nearly a full grade level below the level at which members spoke seven years ago, according to its study of the Congressional Record—the official record of members' proceedings and speech. The foundation applied the Flesch-Kincaid grade level test to congressional conversations and found that today's Congress speaks "at about a 10.6 grade level, down from 11.5 in 2005," senior fellow Lee Drutman wrote in his analysis. Sunlight also found that the newest as well as the most conservative members of Congress on average speak at the lowest grade level.

The following is a Sunlight Foundation graphic charting the grade levels of members' speeches:



Republican Rep. Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina scored lowest with a 7.9 grade level average for his speech. But he told Yahoo News Monday that although he doesn't believe anyone equates "sentence length" and the "polysyllabic nature of words" with intelligence, his ranking is something to be proud of.

"I see it as an affirmation that we're doing something right," Mulvaney said of his fellow bottom-tier representatives. "You've got to speak clearly and concisely," Mulvaney said, if you want people to know what you believe.

He noted that he and some of his fellow bottom-rankers, including Republican Reps. Rob Woodall of Georgia and Sean Duffy of Wisconsin, speak extemporaneously and don't use prepared notes. "This is a group of people who are trying to sound like ordinary people and not like politicians," Mulvaney said.

Ranking one step above Mulvaney was Woodall, then Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Duffy and in fifth place, Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri—all Republicans.

Leading the list as the most advanced speaker is Republican Rep. Dan Lungren of California, who speaks like a college senior. He is followed by Democratic Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard of California, Democratic Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, Republican Rep. Jim Gerlach of Pennsylvania and Republican Rep. Tom Petri of Wisconsin. (A complete ranking of members can be found here.)

So how to explain both the overall drop in grade level average and the conservative-heavy bottom tier?

Drutman emphasized in an interview with Yahoo News that the exact cause is difficult to determine, but the foundation's report concludes that an influx of new members is dragging down the grade level average for Congress overall. But Drutman said the results are neither good nor bad, in his opinion.

"On one hand, you might be concerned that members are speaking at a lower level," Drutman said. But he added on the other, "You might see it as just members speaking more directly to their constituents and being more accessible and plain-spoken."

Drutman noted that many public speakers, writers and others are educated on how to speak and write in simple terms to reach the widest audience.

Drutman said the shift "reflects some of the ways the institution has changed" and said the study was conducted in the "spirit of fun" and was not intended to "pass judgement."

It should be noted that the Congressional Record can be amended by members, meaning they can insert speeches they never actually issued and modify those they did issue. Drutman said he has no data to base a guess on how that may shape the grade level results overall.

[Conan71]

The only thing which surprised me was they were "up" to a Sophomore level.

[erfalf]

Speech by members of Congress drops a grade level due to conservatives and new members, according to study

(So it may be them but they're blaming their constituents)

So in other words, Congress is becoming more representative of the public.

[Townsend]

So in other words, Congress is becoming more representative of the public.

The public I fear, yes.

[patric]

Speech by members of Congress drops a grade level due to conservatives and new members, according to study

Oh, let me correct that for you...

[Townsend]

This guy from Georgia.  These guys just need to refuse to talk about this sort of thing.

It never sounds right.  No matter what.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I guess after reading Hemingway, I'm not all that impressed with how many big words someone can use.  The way they are put together means a lot more...simple, direct, short sentences; less complicated words.  Masterful meaning and expression.

Shame none of our representatives can get even close.

[Teatownclown]

Colin Powell Calls Out The GOP's Racism Problem: There Is 'A Dark Vein Of Intolerance'

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/01/13/1440471/colin-powell-condemns-republican-party-racism-there-is-a-dark-vein-of-intolerance/

The answer man.