A Siegel recently invoked the Inhofe Scale for a Climate Change Denialist who got a chance to goober up the Huffington Post. But, the concept of the Inhofe Scale can be used for more than just Global Warming Denial and Peak Oil "Ostriches". Here's an example of an entity who refuses to acknowledge that the recent Peak Oil/Finance Fantasy/Wall Steer Casino (Jerome a Paris's term is "Anglo Disease") induced severe recession/mini-depression has consequences. Plus, it enhances the versatility of the "Inhofe Scale".
According to its founder, the Inhofe Scale is used to measure statements that exhibit a noticeable and willing detachment from reality. While the Inhofe Scale is normally applied to Global Warming and Peak Oil Denialists (POD people), it also applies to this situation. UB's current stance on UB2020 is running high on the Inhofe Scale.
Unfortunately, after working on the UB 2020 proposal for several years, their timing was terrible, rolling it out in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression. Given that New York State has to balance its budget, a tricked out playpen in Amherst is a tough sell. Every dollar spent on UB as to come from some where else, so....cut pre-K? Raise rates on public transportation for people so poor they have to ride the bus and work several jobs to make ends meet? Maybe cut the heating subsidies so the old and poor have to choose between eating and staying warm? Maybe cut police protection in high crime areas of the inner cities of NY? After all, the money has to come from somewhere...and it's a really brutal musical chairs game going on here.
These moral dilemmas don't seem to pose much problem for UB. Over the past several years, they have padded the management budget with PR/propaganda people hired - often to promote UB 2020. Marsha Henderson, for example (Salary $295,923), who I had the pleasure of seeing on TV informing us about how UB had studied itself and determined that it is HUGE asset to the community. See also this for a local meaning of HUGE
Well, from our view here in the Heights, we do see UB as HUGE. But its not necessarily a good thing. The experiment has been done. Spending huge amounts of public money turned swamp land into a college and parts of a thriving neighborhood into a crime filled slum. Releasing UB from State oversight and shoveling more bucks their way will only continue this trend.
These failed policies were repudiated in the November 2008 election. The people said its time to put public money to the best use, and building a better suburb doesn't seem to be on the agenda. Its time to spend money where it is needed most and will do the most good. Amherst is as much of a welfare queen as that tired old stereotype buying premium steaks with food stamps is.
I give Marsha Henderson and UB an 80 on the Inhofe Scale. For detachment from reality, UB is doing quite well.
Originally posted by Withering Heights at 7:28 PM 0 comments at "The Answer Lady"
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