The new era of politics...
has lasted approximately two weeks. Now we are back to things that work better. We, as Americans, have chosen hope over fear. That is until one party is having a hard time getting some legislation passed. Then we go back to fear--because, let's be honest, it is a more effective technique. (Example: We must pass this bill now or the economy with collapse.)
Okay--let me clarify something. I really am not associated with a party, and I really am not looking for our newly elected president to fail. I listened to Pres. Obama's acceptance speech and his inaugural address, and read the press on his first few executive orders. I was impressed; I was hopeful I would be pleasantly surprised with the new administration. I was optimistic that he would be different and truly attempt to make positive changes. Over the last few days I have been disappointed...not so much in his legislation as in the rhetoric he is using to get his legislation passed. He seems to be falling back on logical fallacies--something that even as a first year composition teacher at a state school I repeatedly told my students to avoid. I told them that logical fallacies were the defenses of the lazy, that they were used by those unwilling to do the hard work of making the truth convincing. So you can imagine my surprise and disappointment this morning as, on NPR no less, I hear my new President using such cheap shots. I know he is a very intelligent man, so I fear I can't honestly believe it was an accident. You would like an example you say? Okay.
A brief introduction to logical fallacies:
1. Ad Hominem: Attacking the person instead of the issue at hand.
Example: Saying that you invited someone over to your place to discuss your bill, and they are still being blatantly partisan by not voting for it. This is not a logical argument. Now if you invited the person over and they kicked your dog, this argument would work. But feeding someone a meal or coffee does not obligate them to agree with you on a $800 billion bill.
2. Straw Man: Misrepresenting another person's viewpoint and then attacking that position.
Example: Saying that the other side is saying we should do nothing in the crisis when actually the other side wants to do something, just not your idea. This is also not a logical argument. Now saying that the other side's plan of action is less effective than yours would work.
3. False Dilemma or Either/Or Fallacy: Building your case by claiming there are only two choices when actually there are many possibilities.
Example: Saying that members of congress either want to pass your bill or sit back and do nothing when some members of congress just want to make sure the bill is a good one.
Bonus Example: Saying that members of congress either support your bill or are clinging to old partisan politics when some of them just truly think it's a bad idea. This is yet again illogical. Now if we were discussing the federal budget and the old budget was going to expire the next day, these arguments would work.
I am by no means saying he is the first to use these techniques, and he will certainly not be the last. My dear, sweet former roommates can testify to the fact that I spent many a morning getting up in arms about Pres. Bush's blatant use of logical fallacies, and if I had known about them when Pres. Clinton was in office, it probably would have been a similar story. I guess my disappointment is that I was promised something different. I was promised that these techniques would be a thing of the past. And heaven knows if the Republicans were in charge, they would probably be doing the same thing and they probably use them in speeches on the House floor all the time. But Mr. Obama is the one with the most important microphone, so I just tend to notice his logical fallacies first. I'm just disappointed that bad rhetoric and intentionally faulty logic are being used again.
Okay--let me clarify something. I really am not associated with a party, and I really am not looking for our newly elected president to fail. I listened to Pres. Obama's acceptance speech and his inaugural address, and read the press on his first few executive orders. I was impressed; I was hopeful I would be pleasantly surprised with the new administration. I was optimistic that he would be different and truly attempt to make positive changes. Over the last few days I have been disappointed...not so much in his legislation as in the rhetoric he is using to get his legislation passed. He seems to be falling back on logical fallacies--something that even as a first year composition teacher at a state school I repeatedly told my students to avoid. I told them that logical fallacies were the defenses of the lazy, that they were used by those unwilling to do the hard work of making the truth convincing. So you can imagine my surprise and disappointment this morning as, on NPR no less, I hear my new President using such cheap shots. I know he is a very intelligent man, so I fear I can't honestly believe it was an accident. You would like an example you say? Okay.
A brief introduction to logical fallacies:
1. Ad Hominem: Attacking the person instead of the issue at hand.
Example: Saying that you invited someone over to your place to discuss your bill, and they are still being blatantly partisan by not voting for it. This is not a logical argument. Now if you invited the person over and they kicked your dog, this argument would work. But feeding someone a meal or coffee does not obligate them to agree with you on a $800 billion bill.
2. Straw Man: Misrepresenting another person's viewpoint and then attacking that position.
Example: Saying that the other side is saying we should do nothing in the crisis when actually the other side wants to do something, just not your idea. This is also not a logical argument. Now saying that the other side's plan of action is less effective than yours would work.
3. False Dilemma or Either/Or Fallacy: Building your case by claiming there are only two choices when actually there are many possibilities.
Example: Saying that members of congress either want to pass your bill or sit back and do nothing when some members of congress just want to make sure the bill is a good one.
Bonus Example: Saying that members of congress either support your bill or are clinging to old partisan politics when some of them just truly think it's a bad idea. This is yet again illogical. Now if we were discussing the federal budget and the old budget was going to expire the next day, these arguments would work.
I am by no means saying he is the first to use these techniques, and he will certainly not be the last. My dear, sweet former roommates can testify to the fact that I spent many a morning getting up in arms about Pres. Bush's blatant use of logical fallacies, and if I had known about them when Pres. Clinton was in office, it probably would have been a similar story. I guess my disappointment is that I was promised something different. I was promised that these techniques would be a thing of the past. And heaven knows if the Republicans were in charge, they would probably be doing the same thing and they probably use them in speeches on the House floor all the time. But Mr. Obama is the one with the most important microphone, so I just tend to notice his logical fallacies first. I'm just disappointed that bad rhetoric and intentionally faulty logic are being used again.
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