Atrios references a mini-dust-up going on in the liberal blogosphere. It mostly centers on this quote from Matt Yglesias regarding the military having lowered it's IQ test standards to be able to fill the ranks:

I tend to doubt, however, that this line of criticism will gain any traction, since making the argument requires you to say that IQ tests (which is all the AFQT really is) are an important measurement and most liberals prefer to shy away from the topic.

Atrios takes Yglesias to task for setting up a straw man wondering, which liberals shy away from the topic of IQ tests? Atrios then goes on to point out that as imperfect as it may be, the military IQ test does measure something and that changing the standards lowers the bar for entry. Then Kevin Drum jumps in with his comments seemingly agreeing with Yglesias that "liberals" don't think I.Q. tests are useful for anything.

There is plenty to criticize in IQ testing. I was trained to administer the Wechsler adult test (WAIS)and intimately understand some of the strengths and weaknesses of IQ testing. I'm also liberal. So if Yglesias wants a liberal to talk about the relevance of the military lowering the IQ test standards to entry into the military, I'm his man.

Any IQ test is only as good as the quality of the test itself (validity), the test administration, and the test interpretation. This clearly opens up any such testing to lots of interpretation and criticism. But any given test, especially one with a long history of administration to a lot of people, does provide some culling out of candidates. Folks can argue until the cows come home about whether a test discriminates against the right people or not, but I don't think anyone argues that a given test will discriminate a portion of the population. That's why you give the test.

The fact that the military is lowering it's cut-off point to entry into the military is militarily and politically significant. It shows how unpopular the Iraq war is as young people vote with their lack of volunteering. It also increases the numbers of less desireable people in the military (as the military defines desireability).

What's to dispute about that?