2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumLincoln Chafee locks down the metric advocate vote
What he wanted to say: If you want to make switching the United States to the metric system a centerpiece of your presidential run, we're here to help. "Everybody measures things. It's not a matter of political philosophy," he said.
Trusten, a Midland pharmacist who's the vice president of the U.S. Metric Association, has for years wanted politicians to embrace the idea that Chafee -- the former Rhode Island governor and senator -- mentioned Wednesday night in his campaign's launch speech.
"Let's be bold. Let's join the rest of the world and go metric," Chafee said Wednesday night at George Mason University in Virginia.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/04/politics/lincoln-chafee-metric-system/index.html
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)I'm a long time metric advocate, and I'm still behind Bernie. Sorry, Lincoln. We're a split bunch, not a monolith.
HassleCat
(6,409 posts)OK, I admit he was searching for an issue and stumbled on this, but it's an important indicator of the way the right wing works in this country. Years ago, we were well on our way to understanding the difference between a centimeter and a centipede. We actually taught kids how to use the metric system, until the right wingers decided we don't need no high falutin Yurpeen metric system, no sir. I'm not sure Chafee intended to make this point, but the Republican Party of which he was a member for so many years has been an obstacle to progress, very anti-business, totally against free trade, etc. by opposing the metric system.
MADem
(135,425 posts)and be taught this in school, I nonetheless feel that Chaffee doomed himself with those comments. DAILY SHOW had a field day mocking him. It's a steep climb outta that hole...
yellowcanine
(35,701 posts)And actually we mostly are metric except for the building trades and the transportation system. I could see gradually going metric on road signs, etc. but again, not an issue worthy of basing a presidential campaign on.
CTyankee
(63,912 posts)would go nuts. This idea was advanced in the 1970s and my mother got terrified that one day she'd wake up one day and find all the mileage signs on the highway in metric measure and then she wouldn't know exactly where she was in distance.
yellowcanine
(35,701 posts)It is not a big deal. I suspect the strongest resistance would be to switching from Fahrenheit to Celsius. So use both. Same with highway signs. Post in both miles and kilometers.
CTyankee
(63,912 posts)brooklynite
(94,745 posts)Reter
(2,188 posts)It is easier for kids to learn?