Until a few months ago, Rep. Maxine Waters, (D-CA) was the chair of the House Financial Services Committee, and currently is the ranking member of the minority. She represents a district in the very state that contains Silicon Valley.

One would think that any sentient consumer of information – both from media and from Congressional sources – would understand the difference between silicon and silicone. Silicon is an element (Si is its symbol), prominently found on the periodic table of elements.

(source)

Silicone, in contrast, is a manmade (oops, person-made) polymer, useful in many applications, including caulk and boob-enhancement, but is useless for manufacturing semiconductors.  

Chemical structure of silicone (source)

Why Ms. Waters habitually says “silicone” when “silicon” (which is what is used in semiconductor fabrication) is the correct term is a question that I don’t care to speculate on. But somehow, I don't see her recaulking the bathrooms in her multi-million dollar Hancock Park mansion that's not even in her congresional district.

Even as late as yesterday on MSNBC with (who else?) Joy Reid, Waters idiotically repeated her habit of calling Silicon Valley Bank “Silicone Valley Bank.”

Just remember that Democrats consider themselves the party of the well-educated and smart people.

Hat tip: Ed Lasky

Photo credit: YouTube screengrab