Rick Santorum's candidacy ...

*ThomasT*

Quote by Astronuc

He is serious, and seriously wrong.

...
Clearly the US can do without a president mired in fantasy.

I think you're correct. Unfortunately, tens of millions of Americans don't agree with us. I might have to break my vow to not vote for Republicans or Democrats in order to help prevent Santorum and his ilk from becoming president.

mheslep

Quote by Astronuc

He is serious, and seriously wrong.

Minor requirement in History as UCSD - one of ten campuses.

HILD 2 A-B-C - United States History
HILD 7 A-B-C - Race and Ethnicity in the United States

Clearly Santorum is out of touch with reality.

Clearly the US can do without a president mired in fantasy.

Politifac suggests Santorum was likely referring to the recent WSJ Berkowitz (board of National Assoc. of Scholars) article, which points out

Quote by Berkowitz

"None of the nine general campuses in the UC system requires students to study the history and institutions of the United States. None requires students to study Western civilization, and on seven of the nine UC campuses, including Berkeley, a survey course in Western civilization is not even offered."

So Santorum, as Politfac states, badly bungled the details on the stump. Is that the standard for being out of touch with reality? Should I bring up comparable blunders from Obama as a reality check?

D H

Quote by mheslep

Should I bring up comparable blunders from Obama as a reality check?

That's not a good idea (consider yourself warned). This thread is about Santorum's strengths and weaknesses, not Obama's.

daveb

From the UCLA website:

American History and Institutions
The American History and Institutions requirement is based on the principle that a U.S. citizen attending an American university should understand the history and public institutions of the U.S. under the federal and state constitutions. Candidates for a bachelor’s degree must satisfy the American History and Institutions requirement by one of the following methods:

•Completing a year’s course in American history or American government, or a one-year combination of both, in high school with an average grade of B or better OR
•Completing any one of the following UCLA courses with a grade of C or better, or a grade of Passed:
Afro-American Studies M158A, M158B, M158C, M158E
Asian American Studies M171D
Chicana and Chicano Studies M159A, M159B, M183
Economics 183
Geography 136
History 13A, 13B, 13C, 138A, 138B, 138C, 139A, 139B, 140A, 140B, 140C, 141A, 141B, 142A, 142B, 142C, 143A, 143B, 144, M144C, 145A, 145B, 146A through 146D, 147A through M147D, 149A, 149B, M150A through M150E, M151A, M151B, M151C, 152, 153, 154, M155, 156
Political Science 40, 114A, 114B, 140A, 140B, 140C, 142A, 143A, 143B, 145B, 145C, 146A
Equivalent courses completed in UCLA Extension or at another college institution, and accepted by the Board of Admissions, may be used to fulfill the requirement OR
•Presenting a satisfactory result of the requirement, by examination, as administered at another college or university within the state OR
•Scoring 500 or better on the SAT Subject Test in U.S. History OR
•Scoring 3, 4, or 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Test in American History.
Candidates for an instructional credential, but not for a degree, must take one of the following courses: History 143A, 143B, Political Science 145B, or 145C.

Students attending the University on an F-1 or J-1 visa may petition for exemption from this requirement by showing proof of temporary residence in the U.S.

My guess is Santorum was referring to those that satisfy the requirement ina manner other than taking it at UCLA - but they still (supposedly) know the concepts and information, so why force them to learn it all over again? Hence, I conclude he's a tad loopy.

BobG

Quote by D H

That's not a good idea (consider yourself warned). This thread is about Santorum's strengths and weaknesses, not Obama's.

I would say comparing Santorum's gaffes to Obama's gaffes wouldn't be a particularly thorough analysis of whether Santorum makes more gaffes than the average candidate, but that doesn't mean it's irrelevant.

A better measure would be to take the number of gaffes all of the candidates make and then see if Santorum makes an above average number of gaffes, a below average number of gaffes, or makes about an average number of gaffes.

It's an evaluation that's impossible to make without referring to the gaffes of other candidates. (None the less, simply telling other posters to do the comparison themselves between one other candidate isn't a particularly strong statement, but I think the point that a conclusion can't be drawn from one example was clear.)

At least Santorum has yet to make the top 25 list for most embarrassing politician gaffes of this century. He still has a little bit of time left in which to raise his game, though.

And, why they matter, even if a candidate's gaffes should be put into perspective.

AlephZero

Looking from the other side of the pond, this debate about the minutiae of degree requirements seems like a sideshow (how ever important it might seem to those inside the US education system).

For example the UK gets all this "general education" stuff out of the way as part of the national education curriculum up to age 16 (i.e. the age limit for compulsory schooling). After that, you specialize in whatever you want to specialize in.

The notion that if you went to Oxbridge to read math or science you would have to take courses in languages or history would seem completely nonsensical - to Brits.

Evo

Quote by BobG

I would say comparing Santorum's gaffes to Obama's gaffes wouldn't be a particularly thorough analysis of whether Santorum makes more gaffes than the average candidate, but that doesn't mean it's irrelevant.

The purpose of this thread is to discuss Santorum, no one else. This thread isn't about comparing candidates. Each candidate has their own thread to discuss facts about them.

mheslep

Quote by daveb

From the UCLA website:

My guess is Santorum was referring to those that satisfy the requirement ina manner other than taking it at UCLA - but they still (supposedly) know the concepts and information, so why force them to learn it all over again? Hence, I conclude he's a tad loopy.

When does being wrong on the facts make someone loopy?

mheslep

Quote by AlephZero

Looking from the other side of the pond, this debate about the minutiae of degree requirements seems like a sideshow (how ever important it might seem to those inside the US education system).

For example the UK gets all this "general education" stuff out of the way as part of the national education curriculum up to age 16 (i.e. the age limit for compulsory schooling). After that, you specialize in whatever you want to specialize in.

The notion that if you went to Oxbridge to read math or science you would have to take courses in languages or history would seem completely nonsensical - to Brits.

Depends on the definition of general. My experience in US college, along side students raised abroad was that, though well prepared, they did not receive a substitute for a university level course.

Jimmy Snyder

... has been suspended.

Pythagorean

I'm contemplating packing up and leaving the US with how much momentum he had. Not sure this is my country.

Jimmy Snyder

Quote by Pythagorean

I'm contemplating packing up and leaving the US with how much momentum he had. Not sure this is my country.

I'll help you pack.

turbo

Santorum is out!

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/r...180027008.html

Pythagorean

Quote by Jimmy Snyder

I'll help you pack.

Hey, if enough of the right people leave, Santorum could be the president of 2012 elections.

jhae2.718

/thread

Jack21222

Quote by turbo

Santorum is out!

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/r...180027008.html

...eww. Get a towel.

*ThomasT*

I began this thread on January 5 of this year. I've learned some stuff about Santorum that I didn't know then. Thanks to all posters. Apparently, Santorum has pulled out of the race. So, there doesn't seem to be any further need to discuss his qualifications for the office of the presidency of the US.

As far as I'm concerned, a Mentor can now close the thread. If not, and if anybody else has something to say about Santorum, then ok. But I'm done with this. Thanks, and let's all hope for a better US and some solutions to present problems.

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