Just the Facts Ma'am

Every time someone talks politics at me (rather than discuss with me) they feel the need to state that whatever they are saying is "a fact", "a known fact" or "a proven fact".  At that point my mind shuts down, and rather than try to discuss the issues I instead see how high I can get their blood pressure.  After all, if my time is going to be wasted, I might as well get something out of it.  If they collapse, I can go through their pockets after calling 911 and before starting CPR.

Facts are.  They are self-evident, and do not require anyone to point them out.  Saying or writing something does not make it a fact, neither does hearing something, no matter the source.  If the voice of God tells me the drinking water in Tijuana is safe to drink, I'm going to have doubts.  Seven days of not being able to get more than 20 feet away from a toilet turned me into a skeptic.  In short, a fact is something that every sane person will readily accept.  Although it may not be a fact, I consider myself sane, so anytime you feel the need to call something a fact, please be prepared to state your sources, provide all validation data you have collected and explain step-by-step your methodology.  Or just tell me who you heard it from.  If you have a heart condition, please be carrying a reasonable amount of cash, I want to show a profit.

To date, nothing that I have been told is a "fact" has turned out to be one.  The word is very useful in making a sales pitch, especially if the deal is a bit on the shady side.  "It's a fact that this vehicle will go 4 times the distance of a Toyota Prius on a single tank of fuel."  Read the fine print, the vehicle is a truck with 350 gallon fuel capacity and only gets 7.5 mpg.  Whenever someone tells you something is "a fact" keep your hand on your wallet.  They are selling something and are not interested in ethics.

Facts are often misleading.  Fact:  President Reagan declared war on the Soviet Union.  True, but he was joking around before giving a speech.  Fact:  President Clinton did not have sex with Monica Lewinsky.  True, but his definition of what is not sex will get you in trouble every time.  The best advice I can give is to avoid "facts" as you would avoid an extended, face-to-face conversation with someone who has very bad breath. 

Over the past four years, "facts" have been used extensively against President Obama.  No actual proof has ever been presented, but a significant portion of the country has accepted these "facts" and are now using them as part of their election day decision-making.  Throw out all the "facts", forget them and move on to reality.  Look at the individual records of what each candidate has done.  How did they vote on the issues at their previous elected position?  What were the end results of the approved bills which they backed?  Have their proposals been attempted in the past, either here or abroad, and what were the results?  What types of business dealings have they engaged in in the past?  Would you consider these to be good for America?  And, lastly; What do you define as "good for America"?

Avoid other people's "facts" and find your own.  Then vote according to your own answers and not those that have been forced down your throat by self-righteous commentators.