What if we were to have a legislative competition in which each side in the Assembly has to pick its six best minds and lock horns in a public debate on policy issues? Who would the two sides pick? This was the hypothetical scenario running through my mind as I was hunkering down to watch the Packers lose yet again on Sunday afternoon. Don't ask me why. Laughing at the Legislature is easier than confronting what's really there - just like watching the green and gold.
I consulted with a respected GOP insider via Instant Messenger to discuss this matter prior to kickoff. Interestingly, our list of Democrats was unanimous and reached without consultation:
I consulted with a respected GOP insider via Instant Messenger to discuss this matter prior to kickoff. Interestingly, our list of Democrats was unanimous and reached without consultation:
- Sheldon Wasserman (doctor)
- Tom Nelson (wonk, Princeton grad)
- Tony Staskunas (lawyer)
- Louis Molepske (lawyer)
- Gary Sherman (lawyer)
- Jon Richards (lawyer)
We thought about including Spencer Black, just because his mere presence would throw the Republicans off their game. However, he is too busy planning his run for governor to prepare for such an intellectual endeavor. By the way Spence, if you run, can you let me know first? I'm still trying to get on McBride's Blog Scoop Gallery. The Avery photos with Doyle weren't good enough, I guess. (And as long as I've digressed, I enjoyed McBride's appearance this morning on Charlie's TV show, along with other bloggers. Good stuff. The whole exercise was a bit sycophantic, as usual, but at least the topic was interesting.)
The Republicans, however, proved a trickier matter:
I invite you to nominate a sixth and leave the suggestion in the comments section. We're completely stuck. After much debate, we could not find one of the remaining 55 GOP members of the lower house that we were comfortable with. Here's a list, if it helps. If you have thoughts on our other selections, share those too. Surely the intelligence of legislators is a matter that most anyone who interacts with them has an opinion on.
The Republicans, however, proved a trickier matter:
Recess Supervisor: i am using quiz bowl as an example of the republicans' intellectual ineptitudeUnfortunately, the son of God is not a member of the GOP caucus and therefore is ineligible. That leaves us with Scott Jensen and Mark Gottlieb. Upon further discussion, we decided to leave Curt Gielow on even though he's pushing single-payer health care, and accordingly would not be considered a Republican by most members of his own caucus. We also decided to include Joan Ballweg, because unlike nearly all of her colleagues she's actually been a successful small business owner. Gregg Underheim made the cut even though he too is a RINO according to the reactionaries.
GOP insider: ha
Recess Supervisor: i didn't have any problem thinking of six dems to compete
Recess Supervisor: i am struggling to find six republicans
Recess Supervisor: if you had to pick the six smartest members of the Assembly GOP caucus who would you pick?
GOP insider: oh Jesus
GOP insider: Jensen
GOP insider: Gottlieb
GOP insider: Gielow
Recess Supervisor: ok those are my 3
Recess Supervisor: now i'm stuck
GOP insider: yeah
GOP insider: now I have to look at a list
I invite you to nominate a sixth and leave the suggestion in the comments section. We're completely stuck. After much debate, we could not find one of the remaining 55 GOP members of the lower house that we were comfortable with. Here's a list, if it helps. If you have thoughts on our other selections, share those too. Surely the intelligence of legislators is a matter that most anyone who interacts with them has an opinion on.
8 comments:
This hurts my brain too much on Monday AM.
BTW, does a graduate degree in Law assure us that intellectual capacity is really present?
And finally, why Jensen?
Graduate degrees aside(I don't think one necessarily denotes intelligence), I think one could easily add Brett Davis, John Gard, Mike Huebsch, Dan Meyer, and Leah Vukmir.
I disagree with picking Sherman. He'd start an answer and never finish, the kind of guy that you ask him what time it is and by the time he finishes you've gotten a complete history of the clock. What about Ziegelbauer?
As for the rest of the Dems, I think they probably have law degrees because they're smart, not the other way around. Their intelligence is easily observed. Listen to them talk. Same goes for Jensen. You can tell he's got a great mind without knowing he went to Harvard. But then again, maybe Dad29 believes that Jensen's degree from the Kennedy School of Government isn't indicative of anything, either. Is a coincidence that two of the smartest people in the legislature, Jensen and Tom Nelson, both have graduate degrees from Ivy League schools? Maybe. Maybe not.
To the other post, Vukmir would be a great addition. The rest of them, however, are no better than the Democrats' sixth guy. What about Mark Gundrum?
Gottlieb and Gielow? Good lord. Just because they think they know everything does not mean they actually do.
If we can take personalities out of it...
Jensen, Huebsch, Vos, Vuhkmir, Gundrum, Suder.
Jensen and Gottlieb are hands down the top two. Anyone disagreeing is so stuck on being "RIGHT" that they can't see straight.
Davis should definitely be on the list....Consideration must be given to Freese, as well.
Following the course of logic that higher education is indicative of intelligence, then Doc Hines would get the nod based on DVM from Ohio
state. Finally, I'd keep a spot open, maybe, we can keep trying to convert Zielgelbauer and put him on our list where he belongs!
Your logic is flawed. I thought your question was "Who would the two sides pick?"
Although they would be well-served to do so, the current Assembly Republicans would never choose their best and brightest policy wonks like Jensen, Gottlieb, Gielow, and Underheim. They would pick idealogues, the neaderthals and harpies in the caucus. (I leave it to you and your readers to identify them.)
If I were in a debate, I would want Sheryl Albers on my side. She has a wealth of experience, and is smarter than most people give her credit for.
The Anony who took umbrage at my question misses the point. But then, perhaps I did not phrase it correctly.
While raw IQ horsepower is a nice thing to have (we call that intelligence,) it is not always associated with the ability to grasp reality.
Thus--while Tom Reynolds is despised as a dumbass, HE seems to understand the ethical and moral depravity espoused by Rep. Jensen, who opposes the repeal of Gas Tax Indexing.
See? Intelligence vs. Common Sense.
Another extremely bright individual (in the IQ sense), not currently in a Government position, has espoused State-run health insurance. In this he is joined by a sitting Pubbie legislator, Mr. Gielow, who has been promised a Cabinet slot by one of the Pubbies running for Governor.
These two choose to defy the laws of economics with elegant "policy wonk" solutions.
Hmmmmm. IQ vs. Common Sense.
You overestimate both sides. No such debate could occur. The Dems you list are potted plant irrelevancies at best. And only Jensen could be eligible on the other side... except that he was dumb enough to lie to investigators and get indicted, so he's out too.
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