Democrat, Tulsa County (10/17/2009 6:26:09 AM)

Good letter. It is just more evidence of red-state opposition to quality education. The politicians of the red-states wish to keep the people ignorant in order to continue to win re-election to office. The people continue to oppose spending public money for anything that they see as not immediately benefiting them economically as individuals.

true2form, Grand Lake (10/17/2009 7:17:54 AM)

Read my bookmark, "Another Coburn Wonder"

Willard_Roker, (10/17/2009 10:14:49 AM)

Science is God's method for outing false prophets.

Liberty1776, Owasso (10/17/2009 10:28:08 AM)

Who has actually read a Political Science book, article, or conference paper recently? Most political science articles do not add much to our public discourse on our current political predicaments. Instead, Poli Sci academics write articles for select few, focusing on quantitative methods and exclusive academic discourses. These differ greatly from the Political Philosophies from Plato to Machiavelli and from Locke to Kant. Tom Colburn is doing the right thing to propose eliminating this wasteful government funding. Lets have the money pay off ouy national debt. This will force academics to spend more time in the classroom teaching. Isn't that the reason why our public dollars pay their salaries? To teach the majority rather than or a elct few? From a former-PhD Political Scientist.

Que, Terlton (10/17/2009 10:35:49 AM)

Aristotle,the Father of the scientific method, thought all things should be open to examination and subject to reason. He applied the scientific method to all areas of human knowledge and made major contributions to biology, physics, philosophy, ethics, logic, poetics, education, and citizenship that are still valuable today.

I can understand that politicians miight not want scientist poking around in their business but Aristotle would have thought it appropriate.

Que

Liberty1776, Owasso (10/17/2009 10:51:41 AM)

Que represents how the average person does not understand political science. Name one contemporary "political scientist" that has made a major contribution to society? (Note: Aristotle was a philospher in the classical science and no Political Scientist would label him has a Polic Sci as Poli Sci was developed in the mid-1900s!). Lets get real and stop wasteful funding!

Proud Muslim, Tulsa: Coolest place in the world (almost) (10/17/2009 12:47:21 PM)

Well, I've tried to read a political science book. Political science really isn't my cup of tea.

How much funding is needed for political science research I have no idea. If Coburn voted against funding it, I want to know what his proposals are. Is there some other field that he thinks needs funding and would be beneficial to America?

Need more info.

Woofenburger, Hominy (10/17/2009 12:54:39 PM)

More info?

Reference "Dr. No".

HUM-ing Bird, Terlton (10/17/2009 1:18:09 PM)

Hummmmm,
Liberty 1776:

Did you say that you have a PhD in Political Science?

LibertyBlessedAmerica, Tulsa (10/17/2009 5:02:41 PM)

Dear Julianne Romanello,

Thank you for that letter to the editor. That was a well thought out and well written letter. Sorry to write a comment like a school teacher, but I was impressed.

Are you originally from Oklahoma?

Tom Coburn is against education. Smart people ask too many questions and analyze information too much.

richard waddell, Bartlesville (10/17/2009 8:30:27 PM)

I thought “The Political Brain: the role of emotion in deciding the fate of the nation” by Drew Westen was helpful in understanding our politics. I thought the book was helpful in understanding political campaigns.

Since it was helpful, I don’t know whether Liberty would classify the book as “political science.”

The question of whether to fund studies should not be decided on the basis of whether they are classified as “political science,” but whether there is a good chance they would add useful knowledge about our political systems.

richard waddell, Bartlesville (10/17/2009 8:33:42 PM)

A former-PhD? I didn't know one could shed a PhD.

FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (10/17/2009 9:00:46 PM)

Here again Sen. Coburn shows his deftness at changing his colors to aid the republican masters at the RNC. He speaks of saving money by eliminating wasteful spending. But in reality they realize they are on the losing end of modern day political realities, philosophy and politics. So under the cover of eliminating waste, he's actually trying to eliminate the academic studies that criticise conservative thinking.

truth fairy, (10/18/2009 1:53:16 AM)

Thank you, Ms. Romanello, excellent letter.
Defunding the arts and sciences of our country, while financially accommodating political religious zealotry and subsidizing war among nations not our own, seems an obvious recipe of a democracy's doom.
Tom Coburn and his "Family" have an agenda, and it is not served well by our intelligence, or our liberty.