The Adler Planetarium and McCain's Fake War on Earmarks

I watched the entire debate and mostly yawned. McCain seemed tired and deflated, his loud breathing sounding like air coming out of a collapsing balloon. Obama was decidedly cool, but very confident.

I was disappointed when he failed to jump on McCain for the Adler Planetarium smear. McCain had previously been making silly remarks about a $3 million grizzly bear DNA project. It turned out that McCain not only never opposed it, but also actually voted for it. They had to find something that would sound equally ridiculous, and they jumped at the first item on Obama's earmarks page, because it was the only one that could be made to sound absurd. The rest are impeccably correct. I urge you to go to the link below and see for yourself what they say about Barack Obama's values.

Obama Announces FY08 Federal Funding Requests

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Adler Planetarium, to support replacement of its projector and related equipment, $3,000,000

One of its most popular attractions and teaching tools at the Adler Planetarium is the Sky Theater. The projection equipment in this theater is 40 years old, and is no longer supported with parts or service by the manufacturer. It has begun to fail, leaving the theater dark and groups of school students and other interested museum-goers without this very valuable and exciting learning experience.

The Adler Planetarium slur reveals both the slovenly nature of the McCain campaign's opposition research as well as the cynical and tone-deaf disconnect from reality. This is a high-tech scientific educational project, not an entertainment device. When I was a child and teenager growing up in New York, the Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of Natural History was among my favorite places to visit. It was an important factor in the formation of my life-long interest in science and technology.

I was also a little disappointed that Obama used a concrete dollar figure -- $20 billion -- to attempt to show the triviality of McCain's obsession with earmarks. Their percentage of the total budget has been estimated as less than 1%. The highest I've seen is 4%. From what I've read, cutting earmarks is not going to affect total spending anyway because they allocate funds that have already been budgeted.

Economist Mark Thoma discussed this at . His pie chart dramatically shows the relative unimportance of the earmarks issue. I think that in the future Obama should use percentages rather than dollars in shooting down this utterly demagogic theme. He should also point out that by ridiculing the Adler Planetarium projector replacement, McCain is really attacking the modern science and technology education that has been one of the principal forces in the growth of the United States' military and economic dominance since Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act in 1958.

Earmarks can be a fairly democratic way responding to local needs. McCain fails to appreciate the fact that so many of these budget requests are for worthy projects that are welcomed by constituents. It's not all pork, maybe not even mostly pork. I challenge you to find as single dubious item when you look at Obama's requests.

The Planetarium item dramatizes the know-nothing, anti-science, anti-education attitudes of the McCain voter base, as well as his cynicism. I think this is an opportunity to highlight that. The United States should be financing the world's most effective and entertaining museums, science exhibits and educational facilities. The Defense Department was once a leader in promoting education in many different ways. It was a strong factor in the country's cultural and economic development before the Reagan revolution began pushing non-military science out the window.

Sometimes a small point can be effectively leveraged into dramatizing a major theme that exposes the real differences between candidates that are not revealed by the usual rhetoric. I think this is one of them. People love planetariums and museums. They attract immense audiences. I remember when admission was free or negligible. It pains me and embarrasses me to think of the Museum of Modern Art in New York charging adults $20 and students $12.

When do we get back to government as public service?

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Comments

[lbcyclist]

The planetarium has no place in America! It preaches to children a patently heretical message and sways them away from the bible. In the future palintocracy science has no place and the only book anyone will ever be required, or allowed to buy would be the new testament. We will leave science and engineering to godless nations of Asia and Europe and will outsource to them any menial labor not related to god's word, like actually inventing stuff and making it work.

[karma13612]

This was a great article. If you could rate articles on HuffPo, then I would give this one a 5 out of 5.

I agree with the author's opinion that Obama should turn McCain's attack on the Planetarium into a position on supporting science and education.

Again, well done!

Let's hope Obama notices and mentions it at the next debate, or makes it part of his 30 minute show at the end of october.

[chf2go]

What about Gov Palin having the highest percentage of earmarks per capita in the entire USA? How can someone who requests and receives over $3 million dollars to study the mating habits of crabs be a reformer? Total hypocrisy once again.

[mishi]

Now, three million bucks for a diorama showing humans fighting dinosaurs - THAT's an earmark the GOP could support.

[thyme11]

Brilliant!

[thebatgirl]

Thank you for directing us to this list of earmarks.
All in total these would help a lot more people, compared to the bridge to NOWHERE with half the price tag of all these projects!

[cooolandrew]

It's also a sign how McCain view of the world is so small. Barack clearly will be a leader that will recognise the world and even space relevance and connection to people's lives.

U tube search : cooolandy honor

[tonycoyle]

Well what can you expect from the party that puts unreality at the center of their worldview?

Them planetariuns (sic) ain’t nuthin’ but godless lies nohow!

[sensiblefiend]

The Republicans view spending on science as wasteful. Who needs it when you've got god?

[aizutojin]

What was the total cost to American taxpayers for the U.S.Navy aircraft John McCain wrecked?

What are Americans spending each day in Iraq and Afghanistan on bombs and remote piloted aircraft and the missiles these craft deploy?

If McCain wants to rant about Senator Obama's three million dollar Adler earmark then put it in perspective with what American militarism costs Americans day after day after day.

It would have been useful if the "screened questions" that Tom Brokaw "selected" at the so called "town meeting" the other night would have been about American Empire or American Militarism.

Why are these very real American state of affairs ( American Empire/Militarism ) not ever touched on?

[delta7777]

as someone who grew up in Chicago, I can attest to the extraordinary educational value of the projection equipment at the Adler Planetariu­m....for generations this has served as the introduction to astronomy for many tens of thousands of Chicago students of all ages....it is not merely a pretty projection of the night sky--it is a major educational tool where the characteristics of asteroids and comets can be depicted--as well as being a "time travel" machine that can show the changes in planetary and stellar positions over millenia.

I might also note, that when I was there, the educational portion of the program was under the direction of a planetarium staff PHD astrophysi­cist....wh­o was also available to answer questions that might arise...

Certainly maintaining and upgrading this facility is one of the most worthwhile imagineable uses of public money dedicated to serving public education.­..

[saami]

As a native Chicagoan, I too agree that the projection system for the Adler Planetarium is very special and has inspired many children to become interested in science, space and astronomy. It is educational, John. It helps people. It doesn' kill them like all the planes you crashed on our dime.

[SeenItBefore]

Growing up I was split between living in rural Alabama and my grandparent's house south of Chicago. On weekends, my Grandfather would take me to the city to visit museums. All the structures built for the Exposition were mind boggling. And nothing rated higher than the Museum of Science and Industry and the Alder Planetarium.

My first visit at 5 was an overwhelming experience. The lights dimmed and my little brain began to explode... how, why, where? Then, a few years ago, it was night watch on a sailboat crossing the Pacific, when I looked up and was transported back to the Alder. And I swear, I could sense my Grandpa sitting next to me, watching the stars like we did some fifty years earlier.

So, by all means John, it's just a projector in Chicago, let it fail, and let's rail against funding for libraries, it's just books, who need's them, and, by all means, stop stem cell funding and research, it's just people's lives. If they're dead, it lessens the burden on Social Security and Medicare

I support Cindy baking you some of her world class and original recipe cookies, add a glass of warm milk and it's, "Say goodnight, Gracie".

[Marlyn]

Excellent suggestion. Thanks.

[Marlyn]

"McCain seemed tired and deflated, his loud breathing sounding like air coming out of a collapsing balloon.

... and he whistles when he makes S sounds.

... and his sharp little tongue flicks out like a lizard.

CAN'T LOOK!

[DuPageDem]

You don't get it, see. Stars are just little holes punched in construction paper, put there by God to test our faith. Since the universe will end during Sarah's lifetime anyway, what's the point in studying it?

[BannedFromCommenting]

Noticed right away, I was expecting him to say Bear DNA, but since we all know he voted for it, he had to switch..

When he said Planetarium, the first thing I thought was "Educational Tool", which McCain cannot relate to, he still uses rocks and sticks and sun dials to do his math equations in the dirt about planet positionin­g... but really he would just watch the shadows and be amused

[LITU]

Two jet crashes and one ship later proves your point.