[dragonwriter]

> If she works at 538 and knowing nothing else about here, I'd wager she is probably better at statistics than most academics, especially those in social sciences who are likely to study this problem.

I wouldn't assume that. It's clear that Nate Silver is excellent at what he does, but that doesn't mean everyobe who has ever been affiliated with 538 in any capacity is an expert at the use of statistics; the employment-based credentialing you propose is at least as invalid as the academic credentialism you criticize.