Study: Congress getting dumber!

[MisterCreosote]

This says members of Congress are speaking at almost a full grade-level lower than they did a few years ago. In a weird twist, the study says the 10 worst speakers in Congress are all Republicans, yet eight of the 10 best speakers are also GOPers:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/2chambers/post/congressional-discourse-getting-dumber-study-says/2012/05/21/gIQA5tWFgU_blog.html

Using the Flesch-Kincaid test, which equates higher grade levels with longer words and sentences and higher numbers of syllables and characters, the study concludes that lawmakers speak at a 10.6 grade level, down from 11.5 in 2005. Americans generally speak at between an 8th and 9th grade level.

 

[bigpern23]

And Leon's getting LAAAAAARGER!!!

Edit: My only regret is that this was not my original response on this thread. :D

 

[LongTimeListener]

If you believe the idea that the GOP is made up of a bunch of super-smart people cynically manipulating the dumbass half of the country into voting against their own self-interest, this makes sense.

But don't worry, Creosote. You're one of the super-smart ones!

 

[da man]

If you believe the idea that the GOP is made up of a bunch of super-smart people cynically manipulating the dumbass half of the country into voting against their own self-interest, this makes sense.

But don't worry, Creosote. You're one of the super-smart ones!

I thought that was what the Republicans were saying about the Democrats.

 

[da man]

By the way, does anyone take issue with the premise that using longer words and sentences and more syllables and characters means one is more intelligent (or at least more advanced in terms of grade level)?

 

[User 11148]

By the way, does anyone take issue with the premise that using longer words and sentences and more syllables and characters means one is more intelligent (or at least more advanced in terms of grade level)?

I do ... :D

 

[Zeke12]

Posited: Congresspeople aren't the only ones getting dumber.

 

[Tarheel316]

Congress getting dumber. What a revelation.

 

[da man]

Congress getting dumber. What a revelation.

Why? When was it smart to begin with?

 

[bigpern23]

In the 1980s, the military had its infamous $800 toilet seat. Today, it has a $17,000 drip pan.

Did we really need a study to determine Congress is getting dumber? :D

 

[heyabbott]

By the way, does anyone take issue with the premise that using longer words and sentences and more syllables and characters means one is more intelligent (or at least more advanced in terms of grade level)?

William Faulkner, speaking of Ernest Hemingway: ‘He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary.’

And Hemingway’s response: ‘Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words?’

 

[doctorx]

In case anyone cares, the dumbest speakers in Congress:

1.) Rep. John “Mick” Mulvaney (R-S.C.): 7.95 grade level
2.) Rep. Rob Woodall (R-Ga): 8.02
3.) Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.): 8.04
4.) Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.): 8.09
5.) Rep. Tim Griffin (R-Ark.): 8.13
6.) Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.): 8.14
7.) Rep. Vicki Hartzler (R-Mo.): 8.44
8.) Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.): 8.60
9.) Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.): 8.61
10.) Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.): 8.62

Smartest:

1.) Rep. Daniel Lungren (R-Calif.): 16.01
2.) Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.): 14.94
3.) (tie) Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.): 14.19
3.) (tie) Rep. Thomas Petri (R-Wis.): 14.19
5.) Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii): 14.18
6.) Rep. William “Mac” Thornberry (R-Texas): 14.13
7.) Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine): 14.02
8.) Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-La.): 13.94
9.) Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.): 13.83
10.) Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas): 13.74

I am skeptical of a list that does not include Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) among the 10 dumbest.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

If "pro" is the opposite of "con," what is the opposite of "progress?"

 

[Ben_Hecht]

In case anyone cares, the dumbest speakers in Congress:

1.) Rep. John “Mick” Mulvaney (R-S.C.): 7.95 grade level
2.) Rep. Rob Woodall (R-Ga): 8.02
3.) Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.): 8.04
4.) Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.): 8.09
5.) Rep. Tim Griffin (R-Ark.): 8.13
6.) Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.): 8.14
7.) Rep. Vicki Hartzler (R-Mo.): 8.44
8.) Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.): 8.60
9.) Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.): 8.61
10.) Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.): 8.62

Smartest:

1.) Rep. Daniel Lungren (R-Calif.): 16.01
2.) Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.): 14.94
3.) (tie) Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.): 14.19
3.) (tie) Rep. Thomas Petri (R-Wis.): 14.19
5.) Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii): 14.18
6.) Rep. William “Mac” Thornberry (R-Texas): 14.13
7.) Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine): 14.02
8.) Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-La.): 13.94
9.) Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.): 13.83
10.) Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas): 13.74

I am skeptical of a list that does not include Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) among the 10 dumbest.

Oh, Rep. Brown has to be a player in this conversation, no question.

 

[heyabbott]

If "pro" is the opposite of "con," what is the opposite of "progress?"

regress

 

[Armchair_QB]

Given that Americans in general are getting dumber and that all congresspeople are Americans it would stand to reason that congresspeople are getting dumber.

I hope the Post didn't actually pay somebody real money to come up with this conclusion.

 

[Bob Cook]

"You prevaricate!"

/smarter!

 

[Ace]

If newspapers are supposedly written at an eighth grade level, should we really be throwing, um, hard, heavy things?

 

[Zeke12]

If newspapers are supposedly written at an eighth grade level, should we really be throwing, um, hard, heavy things?

Hey, did you grade Congress like I asked you to?

No, but I threw a rock at it!

 

[old_tony]

Posited: Congresspeople aren't the only ones getting dumber.

I'm sure getting dumber. This I know.

You want to get even dumber? Go read the thread where Zeke insists that Obama had nothing to do with his own bio for a book, that he never saw it and that normal practice is for an author to never have anything to do with his or her own bio that's sent to a literary agent.