The Failures of the "Conservative Movement" (14)

You can say what you want about earmarks, and there are certainly many examples of abuse to pick from (including many from Alaska). But McCain's complaint in last week's debate about a $3 million "overhead projector" for a planetarium in Chicago is not such an example. Here is that "overhead projector":



It is not clear from this picture, but if you've ever been to a planetarium -- and we can only assume John McCain has not -- you know this thing is an enormous (as in: the size of two or three men) and complex piece of equipment.

The planetarium, of course, is the Adler Planetarium, which has provided science education to millions of people. The Adler folks felt obliged to defend themselves.

...[T]he Adler Planetarium requested federal support – which was not funded – to replace the projector in its historic Sky Theater, the first planetarium theater in the Western Hemisphere. The Adler’s Zeiss Mark VI projector – not an overhead projector – is the instrument that re-creates the night sky in a dome theater, the quintessential planetarium experience. The Adler’s projector is nearly 40 years old and is no longer supported with parts or service by the manufacturer. It is only the second planetarium projector in the Adler’s 78 years of operation. Science literacy is an urgent issue in the United States. To remain competitive and ensure national security, it is vital that we educate and inspire the next generation of explorers to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

It's a disgrace that the Adler needed to make such a statement, but that's only part of the price of 28 years of conservative "thought".