Lawyers, Guns, and Money

[Faustine]

Declan wrote:
On Tue, Aug 21, 2001 at 06:05:04PM -0400, Faustine wrote:
> Great points. If you're looking to make a difference re: cypherpunk and 
>pro-libertarian issues and have a scientific and practical streak, why not 
>get an advanced degree in policy analysis instead? You get a rock-solid 
> grounding in a number of critical disciplines, and put yourself in a 
> position to seriously affect policy on the broadest possible stage.

>Alas, the best policy analysts I've seen are lawyers. Folks in DC, at 
>least,look down at people who got an easier "policy analysis" degree as 
>people who couldn't or didn't want to go to law school.

>-Declan

True, if you don't pick your program carefully, it's entirely too possible 
to end up with a nebulous grab bag of an education that doesn't amount to 
much. It's all in the school, really. And I agree, there are some fantastic 
lawyer-analysts out there. But the ones I really admire are the 
mathematician-analysts, the hard-science analysts: they tend not to hog the 
limelight like some of their more voluble counterparts, but their influence 
is still enormous.

It's kind of interesting to see how the field evolved and grew out of the 
strictly military/operations research stuff in the 50s into what it is now. 
It's still evolving, which is part of what makes it so exciting.  I don't 
think what I'm doing is any easier than law school, quite the contrary! 
Maybe it's better to say it *can* be easier than law school--and often is--
but doesn't have to be if you're in the right place and have some purpose 
behind your choices. 

And I hope I didn't sound too down on studying law. I took a graduate class 
in constitutional law myself and spent a semester learning to write briefs, 
getting acquainted with West's Law Finder, etc. just because it's so 
important. I'd definitely recommend that much to anyone.

~Faustine.