Re: [tips] GOP Rep Daniel Webster Bashes Census Survey As "Random" Rather Than "Scientific"
I must have read some other article because I did not get the feeling that the NYT article was trying to provide a "fair and balanced" portrayal, rather, I think, it provided good reasons why the American Community Service survey SHOULD be funded and maintained. But that's just me. On the other hand, if one is really incensed about this issue, one should go over to Representative Daniel Webster's website and make it known. Here is his press release on cutting the funding: http://webster.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=294931 Here is more on the "YouCut" initiative which is targeting programs that are perceived as "overreach" by the U.S. federal government: http://webster.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=291721 If someone wants to contact Representative Webster, here is the page where you can: http://webster.house.gov/Contact/ NOTE: You have to have a zip code in his congressional district to send email to him. Otherwise, your email will be re-directed to your own U.S. representative. I don't know what would happen if a Canadian citizen was to enter their equivalent of the zip code but, as we like to say, "That's an empirical question, eh?". Off the top of my head, I don't know if any Tipsters live in Representative's Webster's district but I have a feeling that Michael Sylvester might be in it or close to it. I am sure that he could represent the TiPS consensus to Rep. Webster if asked. ;-) Oh, by the way, there is an interesting article in the Ocala, FL news website on this matter. See: http://www.ocala.com/article/20120514/ARTICLES/120519843?p=1&tc=pg I found several points interesting: (1) The Wall Street Journal is against the bill by Webster. Quoting from the article: |Yet liberals weren't the only ones denouncing Webster's legislation. The |Wall Street Journal editorialized on Saturday that the ACS "provides some |of the most accurate, objective and granular data about the economy |and the American people, in something approaching real time." |"The House action is like blaming the bathroom scale for your recent weight |gain," the newspaper observed. "As for privacy, anyone not living in a |Unabomber shack won't be much inconvenienced by making this civic |contribution. ... Republicans do themselves no favors by targeting a useful |government purpose." (2) Even conservative "think tanks" are agin' it: |Bloomberg's Businessweek magazine reported in its online edition last |week that economists from three leading conservative think tanks — the |Cato Institute, the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage |Foundation — all supported the efforts of the Commerce Department to |measure economic and demographic trends. |"Those agencies are essential," Phillip Swagel, an economist and |American Enterprise scholar, told Businessweek. "The data they provide |really tell us what's going on in the economy. This shouldn't be a political issue." (3) Finally: |The legislation is expected to die in the Democratic-led Senate. Now I hope you'll excuse me while I look up the definition of demagogue. -Mike Palij New York University m...@nyu.edu Original Message --- On Mon, 21 May 2012 08:38:38 -0700, Christopher Green wrote: It is sad to see the NYT fall into the old "tell both sides" scheme that has been exploited by political operatives so skillfully for the past couple of decades on issues like evolution and climate change. Here, the Times writes: "In fact, the randomness of the survey is precisely what makes the survey scientific, statistical experts say." The last three words are critical, making it seem like there's a serious debate about that, and encouraging readers to think that there is a "side" they can take (usually depending on what conclusion they favor at the outset). A decade ago, we foolishly thought that these were just ill-informed politicians who would back down after things had been explained to them by those who spend their lives and careers figuring this stuff out -- scientists. By now, however, it is clear that it is calculated political strategy that like-minded ground-troops will rally around, encouraged by the usual media sources, creating a fake public debate that successfully distracts from the actual issue. Until mainstream news organizations stop hobbling themselves with the "theater of objectivity" (not to be confused with the real thing) and are willing to straightforwardly call a diamond a diamond, this political tactic will be used again and again until no one knows what is what anymore. On 2012-05-21, at 9:33 AM, Helweg-Larsen, Marie wrote: > And on the same issue from the New York Times > http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/20/sunday-review/the-debate-over-the-american-community-survey.html > > Marie > > Marie Helweg-Larsen, Ph.D. > Associate Professor l Department of Psychology > Kaufman 168 l Dickinson College > Phone 717.245.1562 l Fax 717.245.1971 > http://users.dickinson.edu/~helwegm/index.ht
Re: [tips] GOP Rep Daniel Webster Bashes Census Survey As "Random" Rather Than "Scientific"
Well said Chris. Michael A. Britt, Ph.D. mich...@thepsychfiles.com http://www.ThePsychFiles.com Twitter: mbritt On May 21, 2012, at 11:38 AM, Christopher Green wrote: > > > > > > > > It is sad to see the NYT fall into the old "tell both sides" scheme that has > been exploited by political operatives so skillfully for the past couple of > decades on issues like evolution and climate change. Here, the Times writes: > "In fact, the randomness of the survey is precisely what makes the survey > scientific, statistical experts say." The last three words are critical, > making it seem like there's a serious debate about that, and encouraging > readers to think that there is a "side" they can take (usually depending on > what conclusion they favor at the outset). A decade ago, we foolishly thought > that these were just ill-informed politicians who would back down after > things had been explained to them by those who spend their lives and careers > figuring this stuff out -- scientists. By now, however, it is clear that it > is calculated political strategy that like-minded ground-troops will rally > around, encouraged by the usual media sources, creating a fake public debate > that successfully distracts from the actual issue. Until mainstream news > organizations stop hobbling themselves with the "theater of objectivity" (not > to be confused with the real thing) and are willing to straightforwardly call > a diamond a diamond, this political tactic will be used again and again until > no one knows what is what anymore. > > Chris > --- > Christopher D. Green > Department of Psychology > York University > Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 > Canada > > chri...@yorku.ca > http://www.yorku.ca/christo/ > == > > > > On 2012-05-21, at 9:33 AM, Helweg-Larsen, Marie wrote: > >> And on the same issue from the New York Times >> http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/20/sunday-review/the-debate-over-the-american-community-survey.html >> >> Marie >> >> Marie Helweg-Larsen, Ph.D. >> Associate Professor l Department of Psychology >> Kaufman 168 l Dickinson College >> Phone 717.245.1562 l Fax 717.245.1971 >> http://users.dickinson.edu/~helwegm/index.html >> >> >> -Original Message- >> From: Christopher Green [mailto:chri...@yorku.ca] >> Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2012 10:37 PM >> To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) >> Subject: [tips] GOP Rep Daniel Webster Bashes Census Survey As "Random" >> Rather Than "Scientific" >> >> Apparently certain members of Congress are about to start misusing the word >> "random" to sow confusion about public opinion surveys in much the way they >> successfully misused "theory" to sow confusion about evolution. Stats >> teachers beware. You may well be the next target of political funny business. >> >> http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2012/05/20/gop_rep_daniel_webster_bashes_census_survey_as_quot_random_quot_rather_than_quot_scientific_quot_.html >> >> Chris >> ... >> Christopher D Green >> Department of Psychology >> York University >> Toronto, ON M6C 1G4 >> >> chri...@yorku.ca >> http://www.yorku.ca/christo >> --- >> You are currently subscribed to tips as: helw...@dickinson.edu. >> To unsubscribe click here: >> http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13234.b0e864a6eccfc779c8119f5a4468797f&n=T&l=tips&o=17933 >> or send a blank email to >> leave-17933-13234.b0e864a6eccfc779c8119f5a44687...@fsulist.frostburg.edu >> >> --- >> You are currently subscribed to tips as: chri...@yorku.ca. >> To unsubscribe click here: >> http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=430248.781165b5ef80a3cd2b14721caf62bd92&n=T&l=tips&o=17943 >> or send a blank email to >> leave-17943-430248.781165b5ef80a3cd2b14721caf62b...@fsulist.frostburg.edu > > > --- > > You are currently subscribed to tips as: michael.br...@thepsychfiles.com. > > To unsubscribe click here: > http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13405.0125141592fa9ededc665c55d9958f69&n=T&l=tips&o=17950 > > (It may be necessary to cut and paste the above URL if the line is broken) > > or send a blank email to > leave-17950-13405.0125141592fa9ededc665c55d9958...@fsulist.frostburg.edu > > > > > --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=17955 or send a blank email to leave-17955-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
RE: [tips] GOP Rep Daniel Webster Bashes Census Survey As "Random" Rather Than "Scientific"
For this I think we can thank Lee Atwater and his protégés who have waged a long and relentless war against the "liberal" media - so called because frequently the facts of the matter didn't fit conservative ideology. This has led to a state of affairs in which any media outlet - even the Gray Lady - will work to avoid appearing biased, *even if the facts themselves are "biased"*, and wind up reporting "he said, she said" rather than what's really what. I despair. I still read the Times, but this is not by any stretch the first time I've seen that sort of sloppy journalistic CYA crap coming from the Times, apparently in an effort to be "fair." As I say, I despair m -- Marc Carter, PhD Associate Professor of Psychology Chair, Department of Behavioral and Health Sciences College of Arts & Sciences Baker University -- From: Christopher Green [mailto:chri...@yorku.ca] Sent: Monday, May 21, 2012 10:38 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: Re: [tips] GOP Rep Daniel Webster Bashes Census Survey As "Random" Rather Than "Scientific" It is sad to see the NYT fall into the old "tell both sides" scheme that has been exploited by political operatives so skillfully for the past couple of decades on issues like evolution and climate change. Here, the Times writes: "In fact, the randomness of the survey is precisely what makes the survey scientific, statistical experts say." The last three words are critical, making it seem like there's a serious debate about that, and encouraging readers to think that there is a "side" they can take (usually depending on what conclusion they favor at the outset). A decade ago, we foolishly thought that these were just ill-informed politicians who would back down after things had been explained to them by those who spend their lives and careers figuring this stuff out -- scientists. By now, however, it is clear that it is calculated political strategy that like-minded ground-troops will rally around, encouraged by the usual media sources, creating a fake public debate that successfully distracts from the actual issue. Until mainstream news organizations stop hobbling themselves with the "theater of objectivity" (not to be confused with the real thing) and are willing to straightforwardly call a diamond a diamond, this political tactic will be used again and again until no one knows what is what anymore. Chris --- Christopher D. Green Department of Psychology York University Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 Canada chri...@yorku.ca<mailto:chri...@yorku.ca> http://www.yorku.ca/christo/ == On 2012-05-21, at 9:33 AM, Helweg-Larsen, Marie wrote: And on the same issue from the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/20/sunday-review/the-debate-over-the-american-community-survey.html Marie Marie Helweg-Larsen, Ph.D. Associate Professor l Department of Psychology Kaufman 168 l Dickinson College Phone 717.245.1562 l Fax 717.245.1971 http://users.dickinson.edu/~helwegm/index.html -Original Message- From: Christopher Green [mailto:chri...@yorku.ca] Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2012 10:37 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: [tips] GOP Rep Daniel Webster Bashes Census Survey As "Random" Rather Than "Scientific" Apparently certain members of Congress are about to start misusing the word "random" to sow confusion about public opinion surveys in much the way they successfully misused "theory" to sow confusion about evolution. Stats teachers beware. You may well be the next target of political funny business. http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2012/05/20/gop_rep_daniel_webster_bashes_census_survey_as_quot_random_quot_rather_than_quot_scientific_quot_.html Chris ... Christopher D Green Department of Psychology York University Toronto, ON M6C 1G4 chri...@yorku.ca<mailto:chri...@yorku.ca> http://www.yorku.ca/christo --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: helw...@dickinson.edu<mailto:helw...@dickinson.edu>. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13234.b0e864a6eccfc779c8119f5a4468797f&n=T&l=tips&o=17933 or send a blank email to leave-17933-13234.b0e864a6eccfc779c8119f5a44687...@fsulist.frostburg.edu<mailto:leave-17933-13234.b0e864a6eccfc779c8119f5a44687...@fsulist.frostburg.edu> --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: chri...@yorku.ca<mailto:chri...@yorku.ca>. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=430248.781165b5ef80a3cd2b14721caf62bd92&n=T&l=tips&o=17943 or send a blank email to leave-17943-430248.781165b5ef80a3cd2b14721caf62b...@fsulist.frostburg.edu<mailto:leave-17943-430248.781165b5ef80a3cd2b14721caf62b...@fsulist.frostburg.edu> --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: marc.ca
Re: [tips] GOP Rep Daniel Webster Bashes Census Survey As "Random" Rather Than "Scientific"
It is sad to see the NYT fall into the old "tell both sides" scheme that has been exploited by political operatives so skillfully for the past couple of decades on issues like evolution and climate change. Here, the Times writes: "In fact, the randomness of the survey is precisely what makes the survey scientific, statistical experts say." The last three words are critical, making it seem like there's a serious debate about that, and encouraging readers to think that there is a "side" they can take (usually depending on what conclusion they favor at the outset). A decade ago, we foolishly thought that these were just ill-informed politicians who would back down after things had been explained to them by those who spend their lives and careers figuring this stuff out -- scientists. By now, however, it is clear that it is calculated political strategy that like-minded ground-troops will rally around, encouraged by the usual media sources, creating a fake public debate that successfully distracts from the actual issue. Until mainstream news organizations stop hobbling themselves with the "theater of objectivity" (not to be confused with the real thing) and are willing to straightforwardly call a diamond a diamond, this political tactic will be used again and again until no one knows what is what anymore. Chris --- Christopher D. Green Department of Psychology York University Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 Canada chri...@yorku.ca http://www.yorku.ca/christo/ == On 2012-05-21, at 9:33 AM, Helweg-Larsen, Marie wrote: > And on the same issue from the New York Times > http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/20/sunday-review/the-debate-over-the-american-community-survey.html > > Marie > > Marie Helweg-Larsen, Ph.D. > Associate Professor l Department of Psychology > Kaufman 168 l Dickinson College > Phone 717.245.1562 l Fax 717.245.1971 > http://users.dickinson.edu/~helwegm/index.html > > > -Original Message- > From: Christopher Green [mailto:chri...@yorku.ca] > Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2012 10:37 PM > To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) > Subject: [tips] GOP Rep Daniel Webster Bashes Census Survey As "Random" > Rather Than "Scientific" > > Apparently certain members of Congress are about to start misusing the word > "random" to sow confusion about public opinion surveys in much the way they > successfully misused "theory" to sow confusion about evolution. Stats > teachers beware. You may well be the next target of political funny business. > > http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2012/05/20/gop_rep_daniel_webster_bashes_census_survey_as_quot_random_quot_rather_than_quot_scientific_quot_.html > > Chris > ... > Christopher D Green > Department of Psychology > York University > Toronto, ON M6C 1G4 > > chri...@yorku.ca > http://www.yorku.ca/christo > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: helw...@dickinson.edu. > To unsubscribe click here: > http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13234.b0e864a6eccfc779c8119f5a4468797f&n=T&l=tips&o=17933 > or send a blank email to > leave-17933-13234.b0e864a6eccfc779c8119f5a44687...@fsulist.frostburg.edu > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: chri...@yorku.ca. > To unsubscribe click here: > http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=430248.781165b5ef80a3cd2b14721caf62bd92&n=T&l=tips&o=17943 > or send a blank email to > leave-17943-430248.781165b5ef80a3cd2b14721caf62b...@fsulist.frostburg.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=17950 or send a blank email to leave-17950-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
RE: [tips] GOP Rep Daniel Webster Bashes Census Survey As "Random" Rather Than "Scientific"
Dear Tipsters, Although their short-form census will continue, the Canadian government is in the process of eliminating its long-form census. The reason given, notable in light of the reason given in the New York Times story, is that privacy was being invaded. http://www.clearpolitics.ca/clear-politics-blog/87-news/2871-Tories%20Hold%20Firm%20on%20Abolishing%20The%20Long%20Form%20Census,%20But%20at%20What%20Cost Sincerely, Stuart __ "Rectu Cultus Pectora Roborant" Stuart J. McKelvie, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Bishop's University, 2600 rue College, Sherbrooke (Borough of Lennoxville), QC J1M 1Z7, Canada. "Floreat Labore" __ -Original Message- From: Helweg-Larsen, Marie [mailto:helw...@dickinson.edu] Sent: Monday, May 21, 2012 9:33 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: RE: [tips] GOP Rep Daniel Webster Bashes Census Survey As "Random" Rather Than "Scientific" And on the same issue from the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/20/sunday-review/the-debate-over-the-american-community-survey.html Marie Marie Helweg-Larsen, Ph.D. Associate Professor l Department of Psychology Kaufman 168 l Dickinson College Phone 717.245.1562 l Fax 717.245.1971 http://users.dickinson.edu/~helwegm/index.html -Original Message- From: Christopher Green [mailto:chri...@yorku.ca] Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2012 10:37 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: [tips] GOP Rep Daniel Webster Bashes Census Survey As "Random" Rather Than "Scientific" Apparently certain members of Congress are about to start misusing the word "random" to sow confusion about public opinion surveys in much the way they successfully misused "theory" to sow confusion about evolution. Stats teachers beware. You may well be the next target of political funny business. http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2012/05/20/gop_rep_daniel_webster_bashes_census_survey_as_quot_random_quot_rather_than_quot_scientific_quot_.html Chris ... Christopher D Green Department of Psychology York University Toronto, ON M6C 1G4 chri...@yorku.ca http://www.yorku.ca/christo --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: helw...@dickinson.edu. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13234.b0e864a6eccfc779c8119f5a4468797f&n=T&l=tips&o=17933 or send a blank email to leave-17933-13234.b0e864a6eccfc779c8119f5a44687...@fsulist.frostburg.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: smcke...@ubishops.ca. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13510.2cc18398df2e6692fffc29a610cb72e3&n=T&l=tips&o=17943 or send a blank email to leave-17943-13510.2cc18398df2e6692fffc29a610cb7...@fsulist.frostburg.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=17944 or send a blank email to leave-17944-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
RE: [tips] GOP Rep Daniel Webster Bashes Census Survey As "Random" Rather Than "Scientific"
And on the same issue from the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/20/sunday-review/the-debate-over-the-american-community-survey.html Marie Marie Helweg-Larsen, Ph.D. Associate Professor l Department of Psychology Kaufman 168 l Dickinson College Phone 717.245.1562 l Fax 717.245.1971 http://users.dickinson.edu/~helwegm/index.html -Original Message- From: Christopher Green [mailto:chri...@yorku.ca] Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2012 10:37 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: [tips] GOP Rep Daniel Webster Bashes Census Survey As "Random" Rather Than "Scientific" Apparently certain members of Congress are about to start misusing the word "random" to sow confusion about public opinion surveys in much the way they successfully misused "theory" to sow confusion about evolution. Stats teachers beware. You may well be the next target of political funny business. http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2012/05/20/gop_rep_daniel_webster_bashes_census_survey_as_quot_random_quot_rather_than_quot_scientific_quot_.html Chris ... Christopher D Green Department of Psychology York University Toronto, ON M6C 1G4 chri...@yorku.ca http://www.yorku.ca/christo --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: helw...@dickinson.edu. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13234.b0e864a6eccfc779c8119f5a4468797f&n=T&l=tips&o=17933 or send a blank email to leave-17933-13234.b0e864a6eccfc779c8119f5a44687...@fsulist.frostburg.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=17943 or send a blank email to leave-17943-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
