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Saturday, May 20, 2023

LOGIC. FAULTY LOGIC, AND GETTING ELECTED: THE FALLACY OF ASSUMING THE CONSEQUENCE INCLUDES GUN CONTROL. (UPDATE)

 

This post could just as easily have been published on A PAGE DEALING WITH ELECTION ISSUES. However, it does deal with Invalid and Faulty Arguments that violate the rules of Logic and Critical Thinking. So I have placed it here.

How many of us have run into the line of reasoning, that the following are examples of;

-  "IF WE PASS GUN CONTROL LAWS, THEN ONLY THE CROOKS WILL HAVE GUNS."

-  " ALLOWING IMMIGRANTS INTO THE U.S. WILL RESULT IN DISEASES LIKE EBOLA SPREADING ACROSS THE COUNTRY."

"GAY MARRIAGE BEING MADE LEGAL WILL RESULT IN AN INCREASE OF CHILD MOLESTATION AND BESTIALITY BECAUSE NO SEXUAL ACTS ARE AGAINST THE LAW ANYMORE."

These are all examples of:

THE FALLACY OF ASSUMING THE CONSEQUENCE-  WHEN YOU ASSERT THAT A GIVEN ACTION WILL AUTOMATICALLY RESULT IN A SPECIFIC CONSEQUENCE.  THIS IS DONE WITHOUT ANY REASONABLE EXPECTATION THAT ONE NECESSARILY FOLLOWS THE OTHER.

Problem #1-  It Assumes Facts, not in Evidence-  There is no foundation for one to conclude that creating guidelines for Gun Ownership, Entry into the U.S. for Foreign Nationals, or Legalizing Same Sex Marriage, would result in the predictions claimed in the above examples coming true.

-  Gun Control does NOT MEAN GUN ELIMINATION.  Legal ownership is not prevented by law.

-  Medical Evaluations are part of gaining Legal Refugee Status. Further,  There is no evidence that foreign nationals are any more or less likely to be infected with any contagious diseases that are found inside the U.S.

-  The Legalization of Gender Identical Marriage does not create blanket amnesty for anyone engaging in sexual acts already prohibited by law. 


Problem #2-  Claiming a Causal Relationship, where one doesn't exist.

-  Many Laws on the Books inside the U.S. allow all Americans to earn or receive licenses required to legally own and/or operate certain Mechanical Devices such as Vehicles, Construction Equipment , Medical Diagnostic Tools etc. Requiring someone to have the Knowledge, Ability and Mental Capacity to operate such things are not considered intrusions into Individual Rights and Freedoms.  There is no precedent that Firearms would be treated any differently.

THIS ALSO IGNORES CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS THAT INCLUDE PERSONAL PROPERTY RIGHTS, WHICH IS WHERE LAWS ON INDIVIDUALS OWNING FIREARMS PROPERLY BELONGS.

-  The Idea that Citizens of other Countries are not properly Immunized compared to American Citizens is not always true, especially if we are speaking about those who are from Nations in North, South or Central America.  It is an amazing comparison, considering the number of irrational exemptions inside the U.S., that allow a parent not to have a child immunized.

-  That the idea of Same- Sex Married couples being so different from Hetero-Sexual ones, that legalization of such unions will cause a complete breakdown of Sexual Mores within the U.S. is without any rational foundation. There is not one shred of credible evidence that such a result is even possible. 

I guess it leaves us with Two basic types of Candidates for elected office:

The Candidate who wants you to fear the opposition before you vote, or

The Candidate who wants you to understand the opposition before you vote.

Friday, May 19, 2023

A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE GOP RIGGING THE HOUSE COMMITTEE SYSTEM TO SUPPORT THEIR FALSE NARRATIVE.



THIS ARTICLE IS FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.

ACCESS IT HERE:

https://apnews.com/article/fbi-republicans-security-clearance-congress-3c061c936425c735a3eac12f431b0386

As you read this Article, here are a few parts to pay attention to:

Former FBI employees Marcus Allen and Steve Friend testified to the panel just hours after the FBI informed Jordan in a letter Wednesday — obtained by The Associated Press — that both men had been stripped of security clearances after either attending the Capitol riot in 2021 or espousing alternate theories about the attack.

“My colleagues have brought in these former agents, men who lost their security clearances because they were a threat to our national security,” said Rep. Stacey Plaskett, the top Democrat on the committee. “People who out of malice or ignorance or both have put partisan agenda above the oath they swore to serve this country and protect its national security.”

“This select committee is a clearinghouse for testing conspiracy theories for Donald Trump to use in his 2024 presidential campaign,” Plaskett added.

The letter from the FBI detailed how Friend refused to participate in a SWAT team arrest of a suspect in the Jan. 6 insurrection while serving in Florida, and “espoused an alternative narrative” about the attack. Friend maintained the show of force wasn’t needed.

Allen, a former operations specialist at the FBI field office in Charlotte, North Carolina, also backed “alternative theories” about Jan. 6 to co-workers multiple times, even after his supervisor told him to stop, according to the FBI letter. Allen disputed those findings, and a lawyer for both men cast suspension of their security clearances as retaliation against whistleblowers.

The FBI, though, has said that of the nearly 80,000 staff at the agency, only 32 currently have their clearances suspended, a clear departure from the GOP claims that retaliation of rank-and-file staff is widespread. That’s according to recently transcribed testimony from Jennifer Leigh Moore, an executive assistant director of human resources at the agency.

Two of the former FBI employees who testified, Friend and O’Boyle, acknowledged that they had received money from Kash Patel, a close Trump ally who held multiple roles in his administration and now oversees a charity.

They said they needed that money to support their families after FBI suspensions left them unable to work, but Democrats said those ties show the partisan nature of the “weaponization” investigation.

HERE IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE REALITY OF THIS COMMITTEE. (DAVID)

In a series of contentious exchanges, Democrats complained that one of Thursday’s witnesses, Allen, was only interviewed by Republican lawmakers on the committee. Many pointed to House rules that state minority and majority staff are required to have equal access to witness testimony, regardless of whether it is a whistleblower account or not.

Since January, House Democrats on both the select and Judiciary committees have accused Jordan and GOP lawmakers of stonewalling them from several transcribed interviews, refusing to allow them into the room or provide official transcripts or videos of the interviews after the fact.

“We’re in the dark. That’s not how Congress works. That’s not how committees work,” said Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman of New York.

THIS IS HOW FASCISM WORKS: CONTROL THE FLOW OF INFORMATION, AND DENY THE OPPOSITION EQUAL ACCESS.

Thursday, May 18, 2023

BLAST FROM THE PAST: ALLOWING PRESIDENT DONALD "I'M PUTINS PUPPET" TRUMP TO TURN BACK THE CLOCK ON PROGRESS.

 

2008-2016
A PROGRESSIVE LEGACY
Over the last Eight Years, we have seen Progressive Democrats support
an Economic Policy that included;

-  An increase in the Federal Minimum Wage of 7.25/ hr.
Which was opposed, and killed, by Congressional Republicans.
( However, on the State Level, there are examples of Minimum Wage
Guidelines that the Republican Party couldn't stop).

-  Expanding the Time Period for receiving Unemployment Benefits, to
   Temporarily Relieve Financial Distress associated with Job loss.

-  Financial Relief for crippling costs incurred through Higher Education.

-  Consumer Laws protecting Americans from predatory practices by
    Dishonest Marketers.

    Of course, this list does not include the AFFORDABLE CARE ACT,
    which resulted in Millions of Americans obtaining Medical Care
    Insurance that would not result in Crippling Debt, or a Dramatic
    Decrease in Their Quality of Life.

The Republicans, besides attempting to stop all of the above, stuck with
the old "TRICKLE DOWN THEORY" OF ECONOMICS. Let's see what
that includes:

TAX BREAK INCENTIVES, WHICH ALLOW THE RICHEST AMERICANS
TO RETAIN MORE OF THEIR WEALTH, WITH THE HOPE THAT THEY WILL
 PUMP THAT MONEY BACK INTO THE ECONOMY.

TO RECEIVE THIS INCENTIVE, ARE THEY
REQUIRED TO:

-  INVEST IN SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES THAT ARE STRUGGLING?- NO.

-  FINANCIALLY SUPPORT CORPORATIONS THAT PROVIDE A LIVING
   WAGE, OR A MEDICAL PLAN FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES?- NO.

-  ONLY SUPPORT AMERICAN BUSINESSES, INSTEAD OF TAKING THE
    FINANCIAL WINDFALL OVERSEAS?-  NO.

THESE TAX BREAKS ARE BASED ON THE "HOPE" THAT THEY WILL BE USED
TO BENEFIT THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE.

However, don't worry. If these incentives are used unwisely, and the MONEY DISAPPEARS,
ALL IS NOT LOST. CORPORATIONS FORMED ARE PLACED INTO BANKRUPTCY,
MEANING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE FOOTING THE BILL FOR POOR MONEY
MANAGEMENT.  AS FOR THE WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS WHO RECEIVED THE
TAX BREAK BENEFITS, AND LOST THE MONEY? THEY WILL JUST DECLARE THESE
LOSSES ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL TAX RETURNS, AND BASICALLY GET IT ALL BACK.

Do you think THAT ONE OF THE REASONS DONALD TRUMP IS RELUCTANT TO MAKE HIS TAX RETURNS PUBLIC, COULD BE THE RESULT OF THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER FOOTING THE BILL FOR HIS FINANCIAL LOSSES?


THE REPUBLICANS- WHO ARE THEY FIGHTING FOR AGAIN?

U.S. SENATOR SHELDON WHITEHOUSE TALKS ABOUT THE POSSIBLE DEFAULT. (VIDEO)


                                         https://twitter.com/i/status/1659202387612176390