So, I read a letter-to-the-editor in The Columbus-Dispatch yesterday and found it to be quite amusing. The author of the "piece" (yes, I mean that term in an ambiguous manner) laid claim that the "liberal-news media" was lying about Paul Ryan wanting to do away with Medicare and that senior citizens had nothing to worry about. He didn't provide any facts, any sources; he really didn't provide much of anything. All he spouted were talking points. It was as if I were walking through a rush-hour traffic jam, packed full of cars sporting their favorite Republican slogans and talking points.
Where did I go? To the fact-checking site, Politifact.com and copy and pasted three URLs:
"Paul Ryan's Medicare plan 'could raise future retirees' costs more than $6,000."
Grade: Mostly True
Link: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/aug/17/barack-obama/barack-obama-ad-says-paul-ryans-medicare-plan-coul/
"[Obama] Says Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan 'want to turn Medicare into a voucher system'."
Grade: Mostly True
Link: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/aug/16/barack-obama/does-paul-ryan-want-turn-medicare-voucher-program/
"[Romney] Says Barack Obama 'robbed Medicare (of) $716 billion to pay for ... Obamacare'."
Grade: Mostly False
Link: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/aug/15/mitt-romney/mitt-romney-said-barack-obama-first-history-rob-me/
I find it to be utterly ridiculous and almost amusing for some people to try and live through slogans and talking points, meanwhile ignoring the facts countering those very words. I can make any kind of outrageous statement without giving valid source material to back it, yet that doesn't make it true, and chances are someone will come along and prove it to be false. The author of the before-mentioned letter-to-the-editor knows what he wants to believe. Unfortunately for him, that doesn't make him accurate and unfortunately for us, that doesn't make it unlikely he'll vote for a candidate based upon false information.
Where did I go? To the fact-checking site, Politifact.com and copy and pasted three URLs:
"Paul Ryan's Medicare plan 'could raise future retirees' costs more than $6,000."
Grade: Mostly True
Link: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/aug/17/barack-obama/barack-obama-ad-says-paul-ryans-medicare-plan-coul/
"[Obama] Says Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan 'want to turn Medicare into a voucher system'."
Grade: Mostly True
Link: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/aug/16/barack-obama/does-paul-ryan-want-turn-medicare-voucher-program/
"[Romney] Says Barack Obama 'robbed Medicare (of) $716 billion to pay for ... Obamacare'."
Grade: Mostly False
Link: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/aug/15/mitt-romney/mitt-romney-said-barack-obama-first-history-rob-me/
I find it to be utterly ridiculous and almost amusing for some people to try and live through slogans and talking points, meanwhile ignoring the facts countering those very words. I can make any kind of outrageous statement without giving valid source material to back it, yet that doesn't make it true, and chances are someone will come along and prove it to be false. The author of the before-mentioned letter-to-the-editor knows what he wants to believe. Unfortunately for him, that doesn't make him accurate and unfortunately for us, that doesn't make it unlikely he'll vote for a candidate based upon false information.
Comments
Post a Comment