Republican Joe Barton asks world-class stupid question

[Darth Wong]

Joe Barton is apparently a high-ranking Republican honcho on the energy committee and he twittered this:

"I seemed to have baffled the Energy Sec with basic question - Where does oil come from?"

Watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4VosDsEkQw


Seriously, you can't make this shit up. And yes, if you go to Joe Barton's home page, he is exactly the stereotypical Texas Republican.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Theres actually a thread on this in testing right now... it is one of those things that just seems SO over the top you almost don't want to acknowledge it. I mean, he asks "where does oil come form" What answer was he expecting?

[Darth Wong]

Theres actually a thread on this in testing right now... it is one of those things that just seems SO over the top you almost don't want to acknowledge it. I mean, he asks "where does oil come form" What answer was he expecting?

Isn't it obvious where he's going with this? He thinks the Earth is 6000 years old and it once had a tropical climate over its entire surface, so global warming is actually the Earth returning to its Eden-like state.

[Themightytom]

Theres actually a thread on this in testing right now... it is one of those things that just seems SO over the top you almost don't want to acknowledge it. I mean, he asks "where does oil come form" What answer was he expecting?

is he allowed to ask barton a question in return? Such as "Why is that an appropriate question" "What relevance does that question have here?" "Do taxpayers need to be paying both of us for you to retake third grade science" "Do your voters know that you need this questions answered" or "Why don't you ask Alaska, they should be keeping track of things like that."

[Darth Wong]

This guy is a perfect example of what's wrong with the Republican party. Ignorant shit flickers who are so arrogant that they think they can presume to mock science which is beyond their infantile comprehension. It's like creationism: I don't give a shit if the religious apologists think it's wrong to go after a "belief". The fact is that anyone who takes creationism seriously is not fit for public office, because he's an idiot.

[LMSx]

The really sad thing isn't just that Barton thinks he baffled Chu, it's that he's obviously really proud of himself for coming up such an awesome, sharp piece of logic. We need more Bartons in them science buildings! How could no one have seen this before him?

[Big Phil]

Hopefully you'd never see a Senator asking such a moronic question... hopefully...

[Themightytom]

This guy is a perfect example of what's wrong with the Republican party. Ignorant shit flickers who are so arrogant that they think they can presume to mock science which is beyond their infantile comprehension. It's like creationism: I don't give a shit if the religious apologists think it's wrong to go after a "belief". The fact is that anyone who takes creationism seriously is not fit for public office, because he's an idiot.

its not the flailing children that bother me, its the mass proportions. Joe barton's smirking "playful" countenance represents a viable constituency of like minded individuals before we could at least blame voter apathy. The republican party is almost a good argument FOR voter apathy.

[RedImperator]

I've watched that video, and I'm genuinely baffled how anyone could think Chu was "stumped". He answered the question. He even managed to do it without rolling his eyes.

[Crossroads Inc.]

The really sad thing isn't just that Barton thinks he baffled Chu, it's that he's obviously really proud of himself for coming up such an awesome, sharp piece of logic. We need more Bartons in them science buildings! How could no one have seen this before him?

Agreeing with this and Echoing what Wong said earlier, people like Barton really do view themselves as 'above' all this Science nonsense.. If they can't understand it, it must not be worth understanding! I have no doubt if we cruised some Fundi blogs right now, there would be several entries crowing about how this "Scientist" was put in his place by a good God fearing Christian.

[Darth Wong]

I've watched that video, and I'm genuinely baffled how anyone could think Chu was "stumped". He answered the question. He even managed to do it without rolling his eyes.

Indeed. He deserves another prize just for doing it without an open display of contempt. Barton's rejoinders were even dumber than his original question. Dr. Chu answers the question by pointing out that the plates moved around, and Barton shot back by saying "isn't it obvious that at one time it was a lot warmer in Alaska and around the North Pole", thus totally disregarding the whole plate movement point that Dr. Chu just made. And then when Dr. Chu patiently responds again by pointing out the continental plates, he smirks and says "so it just drifted up there", thus clearly indicating that he thinks tectonic plate theory is bunk.

It must have been so difficult to sit there and not jump up and scream "What are you, a fucking retard"?

[Kodiak]

This guy is a perfect example of what's wrong with the Republican party. Ignorant shit flickers who are so arrogant that they think they can presume to mock science which is beyond their infantile comprehension. It's like creationism: I don't give a shit if the religious apologists think it's wrong to go after a "belief". The fact is that anyone who takes creationism seriously is not fit for public office, because he's an idiot.

How charitable of the congressman to give a Nobel-prize winning scientist (I think most Repubs would've been more impressed by the Stanley Cup) an entire SIX SECONDS to explain "how oil got to Alaska". Especially since he's only asking the question so that he can mock the Energy Secretary's answer and put his own explanation up there. Here's a few interesting points about Barton from the almighty researchers at wikipedia

a) He was born and raised in Waco, Texas
b) Has a bachelor's in Industrial engineering and a master's in... Industrial Administration...whateverthefuck that is.
c) opposed the Voting Rights act of 2006 because it was too costly to get bilingual materials
d) Decries global warming: "as long as I am chairman, [regulating global warming pollution] is off the table indefinitely. I don't want there to be any uncertainty about that."
e) voted AGAINST Katrina relief

I think the biggest shame of the republican party is the anti-intellectualism and the ridiculous belief that regardless of what science says they're always right because they "Know it in their gut".

[Dillon]

I've watched that video, and I'm genuinely baffled how anyone could think Chu was "stumped". He answered the question. He even managed to do it without rolling his eyes.

Try looking at it through the eyes of the average Republi-Moron. Dr. Chu obviously isn't the best speaker. He stutters a tad and doesn't sound as sure of himself as the congressman; perhaps out of surprise at being asked such a stupid question. Not to mention the fact that he's given all of six seconds to explain a complex scientific theory. That, of course has no bearing on whether or not he is correct, which he of course is, but we all know how idiots listen to their gut and instincts, as opposed to what's actually being said.

[Crossroads Inc.]

I've watched that video, and I'm genuinely baffled how anyone could think Chu was "stumped". He answered the question. He even managed to do it without rolling his eyes.

Try looking at it through the eyes of the average Republi-Moron. Dr. Chu obviously isn't the best speaker. He stutters a tad and doesn't sound as sure of himself as the congressman; perhaps out of surprise at being asked such a stupid question. Not to mention the fact that he's given all of six seconds to explain a complex scientific theory. That, of course has no bearing on whether or not he is correct, which he of course is, but we all know how idiots listen to their gut and instincts, as opposed to what's actually being said.

Exactly, they see a stuttering, not at all confident 'scientist' using big words and not making any 'sense' To your average republitard its "GOTCHA" gold.

[Executor32]

I sent him an email using the form on his webpage:

Greetings, Sen. Barton.

I figured I'd file this under 'Education', as it is regarding your 'Energy secretary puzzled by simple question' video, and your apparent inability to comprehend a simple scientific theory reflects rather poorly on yours.

I'll keep this simple, as third-grade science doesn't appear to be your forte. The earth's crust is divided up into plates, which float upon the mantle layer of the earth. Due to convection, the same process that causes hot air to rise and cold air to fall, there are currents running through the mantle. Friction between the crustal plates and the mantle causes the plates to drift along with the surface currents. One very noticeable side effect of this, which even you should know about, is that when the plates move, the friction from their rubbing together causes earthquakes.

This process has been occurring for nearly the entire lifetime of this planet, and as such the few inches they move per year add up. The bit of crust we know as Alaska was once thousands of miles further south, where the ferns, cycads, mosses, and other ancient plants that were transformed over time into oil and other fossil fuels could grow in great numbers.

Being from Texas, an oil-producing state itself, I will assume that you are familiar with how those plants were transformed into oil, and not bother explaining it to you.

I hope you will understand my explanation, and consider thinking before speaking in ignorance about things you do not understand.

He'll probably get lost halfway through and decide I'm wrong because he doesn't get it, assuming of course that he even reads it in the first place. It gave me something to do, though.

[Samuel]

Technically it isn't the friction that causes earthquakes- it is the sudden release of the pressure that does.

Can he really be so stupid? Does he not know about off-shore drilling?

[Big Orange]

You really have hit rock-fucking-bottom when even YouTube posters think you're a complete dipstick. I learnt about the origin of oil in infant school. If he's a typical example, no wonder the Republican Party were incapable of organizing a wank in a strip club.

[Stark]

It's ironic to me that 'phrasing an explanation so that idiots can understand it without leaving yourself open to public humilation and the proxy rejection of the entire concept' is 'looking stumped'. I mean, Chu isn't a great speaker - but Barton is READING STRAIGHT FROM NOTES, and is even worse. He speaks half of his words into his desk. He must be 'stumped' by his own speech.

[Thanas]

So the guy has a bachelor degree in "industrial engineering"?

WTF is that? Can anyone explain it to me?

Does it actually have anything to do with engineering? Because if so, can anyone explain to do how he managed to pass it with that kind of critical thinking?

Of course, the other possibility is that he is a partisan hack who plays dumb in order to appeal to his retard base.

[Kodiak]

So the guy has a bachelor degree in "industrial engineering"?

WTF is that? Can anyone explain it to me?

Does it actually have anything to do with engineering? Because if so, can anyone explain to do how he managed to pass it with that kind of critical thinking?

Of course, the other possibility is that he is a partisan hack who plays dumb in order to appeal to his retard base.

Industrial Engineering (IE) deals a lot with manufacturing processes as well as large-scale systems such as power plants, foundries, and - you guessed it - oil refineries. It does cover a lot of what mechanical engineering does, but doesn't go into as much detail and specifics steering more towards "big-picture" concepts and how multiple processes fit together.

[Lonestar]

Oh God.


He's an Aggie.


I feel so Ashamed.

EDIT: And Masters at Purdue....What the Fuck is going on?

[Thanas]

^Looks like my second guess is correct then.

Partisan hack who plays dumb in order to score points with his retard base...though I have to wonder, how many of those actually watch C-Span?

[Lonestar]

^Looks like my second guess is correct then.

Partisan hack who plays dumb in order to score points with his retard base...though I have to wonder, how many of those actually watch C-Span?

It almost has to be your second guess. Neither of those schools are shifty no-name institutions.

And he consulted for Atlantic Richfield Oil, so presumably he was somewhat knowledgeable of the subject matter.

[The Spartan]

^Looks like my second guess is correct then.

Partisan hack who plays dumb in order to score points with his retard base...though I have to wonder, how many of those actually watch C-Span?

It almost has to be your second guess. Neither of those schools are shifty no-name institutions.

And he consulted for Atlantic Richfield Oil, so presumably he was somewhat knowledgeable of the subject matter.

I'm not so sure about that. There is a small number of people, even professionals, that are convinced that oil replenishes itself and that is indeed not a million year old plant stew.

Googling: "oil not from dinosaurs"

Couple that sort of thinking with the kind of blinders that being a Creationist puts on you can start to see how someone would believe such a thing.

[Lonestar]

Couple that sort of thinking with the kind of blinders that being a Creationist puts on you can start to see how someone would believe such a thing.

I refuse to fucking believe that anyone who got two engineering degrees from two upper-tier engineering schools believes that crap.