<p>I was reading the UF engineering magazine, and there was a piece in there about how there are only several engineers in congress. Anyways, they said that engineers are misrepresented in public policy, and how it affects are country as far as legislatin goes in impacting our country's infrastructure and innovation.</p>
<p>Do you think it's a real issue?</p>
<p>I think there are some really screwy thing that get passed as policy in regards to infrastructure, innovation, education, and a bunch of different areas where engineers may offer a different point of view. However, I don’t know that it is necessarily due to a lack of engineers. It is an interesting fact though…</p>
<p>I guess engineers have no interest in running for political office. Non-lawyers are rare in Congress.</p>
<p>At the very least, engineers should be letting our elected officials know what we believe should be done for issues that involve our areas of expertise. That could be done by individually or through your professional society.</p>
<p>I keep my eyes and ears open for any bills in congress that may affect infrastructure or construction and I write letters to my congressmen about what should be done. I also write to my local politicians regarding similar issues in my city. ASCE has lobbyists on Capitol Hill and members have testified before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.</p>
<p>There are very few science type people in congress, not just few engineers, which explains why most don’t think logically.</p>
<p>Well, if Carly Fiorina gets elected to the US Senate, you will have one of the biggest job destructors of engineering in Congress.</p>
<p>Politics is a complex subject, and that’s what defines society: economy, business, education, social benefits, international affairs, and domestics affairs, etc. You name it.</p>
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<p>So is that why most of those in congress are lawyers with journalism degrees? Never having taken anything in the fields of economics, business, education, or foreign relations?</p>
<p>Personally, being an engineer, I don’t mind there being a lack of us. We tend to over analyze, are slow to act, always over budget, and really just like to find new ways to blow things up… so, in that regard it’s almost like congress is already full of engineers.</p>
<p>Seriously, IMO, people should pay more attention to the qualifications of those they elect. What constitutes a politician? In many cases it’s a lack of success in their chosen field, so why should they run the country?!</p>
<p>Engineers are smart enough to realize that politicians don’t really “create jobs” (except for government jobs) so they tend to hang around folks who actually do.</p>
<p>It’s not only a lack of engineers. There is a lack of people with any science or technical background in Congress. Most of them majored in political science in undergrad and then went to law school. It’s sad because are society is becoming more oriented around science and technology and we have a bunch of lawyers with no tech know-how running the country.</p>
<p>Engineers are called on to testify in front of committees all the time (I’ve sat in on several where energy was concerned).
(Usually engineers in senior officer positions).</p>
<p>Mind you, from what I’ve seen, the politicians are simply rambling idiots who ignore expert testimony in favor of their own (private) agenda.</p>
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<p>All these posts tell me we’re not satisfied with how things are working out for us on Capitol Hill. I hope you guys are all doing something about it instead of just complaining here!</p>
<p>Before I elaborate my thought as a student, I want to ask the engineers here:</p>
<p>Budgeting is part of the work that every engineer encounters, directly or indirectly. When you speak to the business people, do they actually care about what you say?</p>
<p>I am sure there are cases where the managers and the business department dictated the budget, and they will do whatever they want. In fact, in the past I had spoken about several incidents where engineers’ opinions were ignored and tragedies occurred.</p>
<p>ken - that presupposes we can do something about this government, short of overturning it. This country is an oligarchy and a kleptocracy, nothing remotely resembling a republic.</p>
<p>I couldn’t give a rat’s patootie about how many engineers or scientists are in Congress. I can’t think of a single good reason why it should matter. I certainly don’t want engineers and scientists in Congress doling out even more tax-payer money to engineering and science. We already have too many special interests raiding the treasury under the phony guise of stimulating the economy and whatnot. Why should we become another selfish special interest? Aren’t the phony-baloney “green jobs” engineering firms and scientists bilking the tax-payer enough as it is?</p>
<p>I’m far more concerned about the number of lawyers we have in Congress. Seriously, it’s a major, major problem. It’s the foxes guarding the henhouse. It’s like letting doctors influence medical licensing rules…</p>
<p>I’d much rather have more economists in Congress. Real economists, not people who majored in economics in undergrad but whose actions reveal no sign of economic literacy or economic thought. But as somebody once told me, an honest economist couldn’t get elected. That’s why they get hired on as advisors to the Presidents and legislators who actually craft policy–because economists themselves are unelectable. Much of economics is just not politically palatable. End farmer subsidies? Free trade? Open immigration? Abolish the minimum wage? These are views held by 99% of economists, both on the left and the right, but it can be political suicide to try to do anything about them.</p>
<p>Tom those ideas are not economic policy. That’s war on the middle class…</p>
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<p>They’re only “bilking” because they can get away with it. Lawmakers don’t understand how non-viable many renewable energy sources really are and so they dole out wads of cash for things that a real engineer or scientist would balk at funding.</p>
<p>If we had more Engineers or Scientists in politics there wouldn’t be so much argument over such things as climate change…or creationism etc etc… And logical thinking would be valued more.</p>
<p>Power corrupts, absolute power wielded by the current regime has corrupted it absolutely. A corrupt engineer is still corrupt.</p>
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So it’s best not to do anything at all? Nobody said it was easy… it’s probably tougher than any engineering problem anybody here will ever do. I understand why some people have defeatist attitudes, but if nobody does anything, we’ll still be in the same position decades down the road. If nobody thought it was possible to change the status quo, we’d still have slaves and women would be resigned to being nothing more than housewives.</p>
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I don’t understand… wouldn’t it best to let the practicing professionals help mold the licensing rules. Who else would know the job better? It’s like asking a vegetarian to cook you a steak.</p>
<p>I actually don’t have a problem with lawyers being overrepresented in Congress, as long as they’re open minded and willing to listen to their constituents.</p>
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<p>Forturnately or unforturnately, depending on your point of view, the government is theoretically set up to represent the views of the people. These may not be the “right” ones, just the most popular ones.</p>
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Then let them know it. I’m not very familiar with renewable energy, but the only thing I’ve heard that was negative was the high start-up costs. I’m sure it’s the same with the lawmakers. You can’t blame them for something they don’t know, especially when the contrary opinion is the more popular one.</p>