Whatever ends up being passed it will suck.

I don’t think anything will pass. At least I hope not. I’d like to see the market for HSAs opened up to lower deductible insurance policies first. If people had to shop for the first $2k or so they spend, every day health care costs would most likely drop quickly.

You wouldn’t know it by reading this blog, but I’m actually a silver lining type guy on most things. There is an upside to gov’ment health care that we shouldn’t overlook–with the unavoidable rationing and inability to get treatment on demand, people may actually start taking better care of themselves.

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You laugh, but I’d actually like to encourage Congress to spend more time doing stuff like this and less time, you know,  legislating. We can limit their damage by relegating them to doing school cheers, quoting stats, and generally flexing their public speaking muscles about sporting events.

For her efforts to filabuster any spending or attacks on liberty in Congress for almost four whole minutes, I want to gratulate Corrine Brown on sportmanship and one of the best defense plays that I’ve seen in Congress.

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But it’s important to remember that rhetoric and logic, while related, are not the same thing. For example, let’s look at this tweet my buddy Alex wrote the other day:

A former professor once told me, “studies show those who demand less government score lowest on their understanding of how it’s designed.”

That’s a powerful statement, and is even more powerful given the fact that Alex was able to clearly express it in less than 140 characters. But it makes a rhetorical implication, not a logical implication. It’s pretty obvious to me that the intended implication here is that people who favor small government don’t know what they are talking about. But if we break this statement down logically, it’s pretty weak.

Some background first–there are four possibilities in a simple logical implication, which is represented by this table.

Possibility 1: Given the correct information, you come to the proper conclusion. This is an acceptable result (indicated by T). Makes sense right?

Possibility 2: Given the correct information, you come to the wrong conclusion. This is not an acceptable result (indicated by F). This means that the information was processed incorrectly–faulty logic.

Possibility 3: Given false information, you still come up with the correct answer. This is an acceptable result. Imagine blindly guessing on a multiple choice quiz–you still get credit if you fill in the correct bubble, right?

Possibility 4: Given false information, you come up with the wrong answer. This is an acceptable result. It is reasonable to expect you’d get the answer wrong if your information is suspect.

Now, let’s assume Alex’s statement is true. Let’s assume people who favor small government really do score lowest. That would mean they are basing their decision on false or faulty information. Although the rhetoric presented would lead us to believe they can’t possibly be correct in favoring small government because they are ignorant (Possibility 4) , a quick glance at our truth table shows us that it is still possible for them to arrive at the correct conclusion (Possibility 3).

Think of it this way–let’s say you fall off a ladder and break your arm. Your ignorance of the gravitational constant, the tensile strength of your bones, or even basic anatomy doesn’t change the fact that your arm is broken. Even if you are given a completely false explanation that you believe to be true as to how your arm was broken, it’s still broken.

In other words, you can be completely ignorant, yet still be perfectly capable of stating the truth.

Of course, it’s a huge leap to assume Alex’s statement is true to begin with. It brings up all types of questions:

1. What studies, what professor, what test, and who was tested?
2. What is this professor’s area of expertise?
3. When was the study conducted? Where? By whom?
4. Who funded the study?
5. Is there a similar study on those who favor big government?
6. Have you seen this study yourself? Does it even exist?

Although I disagree with his statement, It’s not my intention to pile on Alex here, but to point out how rhetoric is used by every side of an argument to make a point.

Videos are especially effective in using rhetoric to make points. A really popular method is to show clips of complete ignoramuses and make the implication that these fools represent the entirety of the group they are associated with. I see people post them, and I’ve posted them as well. Take a look at these two videos which represent “both” sides, and keep in mind the purpose of the person who produced them. After watching each one, ask yourself a few questions:

1. Do I have true, unbiased information about this group of people?
2. If I can’t say that my information is completely true, how much trust do I put in my conclusion?
3. Does this video reinforce what I already believe to be true/false? Is that why I like/dislike it?

My point–there’s nothing wrong with writing, posting, plagiarizing, enjoying, spreading, dispersing, selling, buying, manufacturing and encouraging rhetoric. Just recognize it for what it is.

And if you don’t have the ability to recognize the difference, you are an ignoramus.

Q.E.D.

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None Found

Please, please tell me this guy is not typical. Talk to the President, get a Playstation 3 for Christmas…it’s all really about the same thing, huh?

I think he made a wrong turn on the way to the Iron Maiden concert and ended up at the Obama rally.

Ok, seriously…one thing you won’t hear me do is bag on the guy for working at McDonald’s for four years while he’s going to school…good for him!!! Hat’s off to the guy for doing two things to better himself that lots of people aren’t willing to do. It seems like he hasn’t consciously realized that he’s the answer, not Obama or McCain or Bush or anyone else.

We need more people like this guy, we just need to change the way they vote.

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The question shouldn’t be “which of those two are you voting for” but rather “why are you tolerating a system that is stripping you of your right to fair process and what can we do to change it?” Stop settling for less and start demanding more from the systems that your dollars support. Stop following the process blindly and start looking at the bigger picture and asking the hard questions. Demand more… our nation deserves it… our nation needs it. We certainly do need change, but I assure you change will NOT come from any candidate put before us by either the democratic or republican parties.

Every election cycle we seem to get more and more polarized as a country, aligning ourselves with two parties that are becoming more and more alike.  I’m worried that this country may have missed its last chance to grow a set and demand more.

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I wish Johnny Horton was alive to sing a song about Sarah Palin’s experiences in Alaska. #knoxelect 31 minutes ago from twhirl

In fact…I think I’m going to vote against all of you. 36 minutes ago from twhirl

Every time I hear “__ voted against…” I get fuzzies about the person who did the voting. I like whoever voted “against” the most. (1/2) 36 minutes ago from twhirl

Love Biden’s answer on VP powers. 40 minutes ago from twhirl

Did she just give a shoutout to some third graders? That’s called “laying foundation” around here. I’m voting for her!!! #vpdebate about 1 hour ago from twhirl

If every politician was on Twitter we’d know EXACTLY what they said, and when. about 1 hour ago from twhirl

Retweeting @svandyke: Biden is speaking about himself in third person…george is getting angry about 1 hour ago from twhirl

Now Biden is passionate too. I hope they wait until the kids go to bed before they let this get too spicy. about 1 hour ago from twhirl

In short, “yer either with us, or yer agin us” about 1 hour ago from twhirl

Agree or disagree with Palin, but she gave a definitive answer. Odd for a politician. Kudos to Biden for his honesty as well. about 1 hour ago from twhirl

He said “adjust the principal that you owe.” I said, “WHAT?!?!?!” and he said, “the principal that you owe.” just for me. about 1 hour ago from twhirl

How much do you drink for “bless their hearts”? about 2 hours ago from twhirl

Sorry. I spent too much time not answering the question to answer the question. The light is blinking. about 2 hours ago from twhirl

@newscoma just for you I have to say–Palin’s looking fly tonight. Who is she wearing? about 2 hours ago from twhirl in reply to newscoma

Too bad Phil Fulmer couldn’t joint the debate…we could drink to all of the “work like heck”s. about 2 hours ago from twhirl

I’m late to the game!!! Have I missed anything (besides you gugys drinking)? about 2 hours ago from twhirl

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In an interview on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 Monday night, Obama was asked about whether his experience in the U.S. Senate dealing with weather-related situations compares to Palin’s executive experience running the state of Alaska and as the small town mayor of Wasilla, Alaska.

At least in this instance, McCain’s been able to dictate the debate.  And in this case, he’s put himself above it.

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Final Question: Boxers or briefs? (directed at Hillary)–GingerSnaps

She is a bitch. And she is AWESOME!–Newscoma

Obama gets this nightmare back on track. I kept waiting for Dick Clark and Ed McMahon to pop out with an animated janitor –vagredajr

Why did Hill bring up healthcare? Didn’t she *try* that already?–eeUS

And finally, in what was probably the most insightful, honest, and intelligent comment in all of Twitterdom world during the entire debate:

@sadcox your funny you’re really into this huh? –MatthewsChick

Now on to The Ultimate Fighter…

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I could have sworn I was watching two high school girls bickering over the fact that one told a boy that the other liked him…”Yeah, but I didn’t mean that I like him like him.”

I wish Reagan could have been there to smack those bitches back to reality.  I’ve come to the conclusion that Ron Paul just isn’t the right man to do it.  His message is great, but unfortunately he just doesn’t have “it”, and his delivery is weak.  I’d love to see Ron Paul’s ideas delivered by a guy with Obama’s oratory skills.

By the way, does anyone else find it ironic that McCain says he wants to change Washington, but his response to every question he doesn’t know how to answer is to name 30 “old and dear friends” whose names I remember as Washington politicians from my childhood?  It seems like he tries to fill up his 90 second responses by naming these dinosaurs as slowly as possible.

Huckabee?  That guy is qualified for little more than hosting amateur night at a “clean jokes only” comedy club in Little Rock.  Two drink minimum…your choice of milk or juice.  And don’t forget to tip your waitresses–they’re illegal workers, and the only payment they’re getting from us is free college for their kids.

Seriously, are these ass clowns the best we can muster up to represent us?

“Is the best of the free life behind us now, and are the good time really over for good?” –Merle Haggard

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