As famed German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer once observed, “It would be a very good thing if every trick could receive some short and obviously appropriate name, so that when a man used this or that particular trick , he could at once be reproved for it.” With this idea in mind, then, let's further investigate the contrived rhetorical errors of Barack Obama, and his supporters, the indefatigably naive and unusually credulous Obamatons.
1. False Dichotomy (All or Nothing ie Either/Or)
The Fallacy of the False Dichotomy occurs when it is suggested only two outcomes are possible from a situation, and one of them is bad. So the “good” option must therefore be chosen to avoid disaster.
Example: When Obama claimed if the Stimulus wasn't passed, the economy would crater. Again, when Barack warned if Obamacare was not passed immediately, the result would be eventual economic collapse.
Analysis: This may be Obama's favorite fallacy. It combines the fear of apparent imminent catastrophe with an easy out – the “good” choice which must be taken to avoid chaos and destruction. Appeals to crisis and fear mongering are classic leftist ploys, ie the Chicken Little syndrome. This also an example of the Fallacy of
Appeal to Fear.
2. Popular Corruption
The Fallacy of Popular Corruption claims all people in general are corrupt, and so deserve punishment. One variation: A group is claimed to be composed wholly of evil persons deserving retribution.
Example: Insurance executives grimly testify in DC that government plans to nationalize their industry will destroy their business model. Suddenly, red-nosed Senator Ted Hennessy of Gassachusetts rises, yelling “ We must help the little man, constantly ripped-off by these evil insurance companies!” He later celebrates the legislative victory with 17 consecutive Bloody Mary's at Chappy's Quickfix Bar & Grill.
Analysis: Is it really true all insurance executives are evil thieves? Again, are American insurance companies really just fraud operations? The Rule of Law must be used to analyze whether companies are defrauding the public, and not simply decided by politicians selling programs at whistle stops.
3. Self-Interest
The Fallacy of Self-Interest is committed when a speaker suggests an idea should be supported simply because it benefits the listeners, regardless whether it is fair to anyone else.
Example: A politician is elected mayor by promising he'll make the residents of Easy Street, a suburb encompassing 3% of the city's population, pay for the entire city budget and all infrastructure, including a new light rail. Easy Street contains the only golf course in town.
Analysis:This example begs the question of: What is government? Can government do anything it chooses, once elected? The American Founders believed a man is only a “leader” while governing justly. Once he stops this, he can be removed from office since he has abandoned being a servant, and has become an enslaver. A state truly based upon Rule of Law cannot then arbitrarily favor some over others and still stand un-compromised.
4. Pious Fraud
The Fallacy of Pious Fraud claims using dishonesty is acceptable if it achieves an end of true justice.
Example: Birther, Inc, an international midwife products company based in an African tyranny boasts 2009 profits of $100 million. In a TV response, a visibly angry President Mufti of the Democratic Islamic Republic of Kenyatta states, “Capitalism is built upon the broken backs of workers,” and such “profiteering” shall not stand, but will be redistributed via his doctrine of “Economic Justice.”
Analysis: If all companies in a country were made to disgorge any profits on the theory that profit = theft, the economy would quickly become functionally bankrupt. Further, stealing from one group to give to another simply undermines the idea of a Rule of Law applying equally to all persons.
5. Is Ought
The “Is/Ought” fallacy stands for the idea that whichever way a thing “is” found, is how it “ought” to be.
Example: Liberal economists state Keynesian deficit spending is necessary to climb out of the recession, and any attempt to stop deficit spend during recession is fiscal madness.
Analysis: Keynesian deficit spending is treated like a cultic ritual where it's claimed no recovery could thrive without it. But is it really true a recovery can't occur without this drastic fiscal strategy? Isn't it possible we are so fiscally undisciplined that we need this as an excuse for our lack of control? This type of fatalistic thinking will certainly destroy America's formerly healthy economy.
6. The Ends Justify the Means
The Fallacy of The Ends Justify the Means stands for the idea that the only important issues are outcomes. Whatever rules were broken to achieve the results is acceptable and irrelevant.
Example: The US Supreme Court ruled that Eminent Domain can be used to take land from private citizens if the State believes the land can be better used by another owner.
Analysis: The Founders reasoned without property rights, all people were at the mercy of the State of Nature. A main component of the Social Contract was defense of property and contract rights, as memorialized in the US Constitution. Yet, once the State can decide what is the “best” use of private property, where does the madness end? This fallacy agrees exactly with Obama's Pragmatist philosophy.
7. Golden Mean
The Fallacy of the Golden Mean is committed when it is claimed the halfway mark between any two points represents an acceptable compromise.
Example: The ruling MRP (Mole-Rat Party) of the Rodent Islands demands half the islands sold, proceeds used for a permanent fund to underwrite pre-teen abortions and child euthanasia, to cut down on carbon emissions and save the islands from drowning due to Global Warming. When the minority WMP (Whack-a-Mole Party) refuses a compromise bill only funding child euthanasia, the Rats term the Moles “The Party of No,” and “Obstructionists.”
Analysis:The halfway point between two unwanted or immoral positions is undoubtedly undesirable.
8. Invincible Ignorance
The Fallacy of Invincible Ignorance claims the more uneducated is a person on undesirable topics, the more protected they are of any bad outcomes associated with them.
Example: Father Dominic Hornblower, a rogue Artesian friar, was planning to teach adult Sunday school on the subject: “The Kingdom of God and Economics.” But, before he assembled his lesson plan, Hornblower decided he would avoid capitalism, since he considered it a spawn of the Devil.
Analysis: It's difficult to prove one set of ideas better than another when one of them is not even explained.
9. Confident Manner
The Fallacy of Confident Manner is committed when the main argument for a speaker's ideas is that they are delivered with a confident air.
Example: Prophet Barry Koresh, a noted spiritualist, assembled his followers and made a statement, using his typical exaggerated motions and his boxing announcer's cadence, creating a compelling air of authority. He said: “My children, with your support, we can lower the seas, cool the fields and heal this troubled planet. If you follow me, no harm will come. This was revealed to me in the Mayan Calendar.” Barry's moist-eyed listeners roared their approval.
Analysis:Any actor or con artist can deliver schemes with a confident demeanor. This is not enough reason to put faith in a person or their plans.
10. Genetic Fallacy
The Genetic Fallacy claims the original definition of a word or idea dictates its permanent use.
Example: On MSNBC, Sen. Lefty McGraw explains since Marx defined socialism as “Total government ownership of means and production,” a patriotic American ought not oppose the US buying half of Wall Street to help watch over and regulate it, since that is not socialism.
Analysis:There is more than a single definition of socialism, especially as the word developed over time. One meaning is when governments augment power via private property at cost of personal rights.
11. Slogans (Poetic Language)
The Fallacy of Sloganeering occurs when speakers use vague, euphemistic or poetic language to try to gain support of naïve audiences by getting listeners to add in their own details not there.
Example: First year junior-high coach Bud Auerbach, his team struggling to stay above .500, decided at halftime to challenge his boys to “Win one for the Gipper,” despite the fact he had no idea who the Gipper was.
Analysis: Bud's team was beat 100-0, and he was fired the next day.
As a study of political fallacies, part two, this article continues an examination of defective examples of speech and debate, employed here by leftist supporters of the current Obama administration. Now are added eleven more fallacies to the ten previously outlined.
A fallacy is a badly structured argument, a faux point. Fallacies are common and recognizable errors of logic which regularly pop up in human interactions. Some use fallacies by accident, whereas others do so in an effort to take advantage of simple minded folks. Politicians, being veteran communicators, tend to use fallacies on purpose, tricking listeners into agreeing with them on false grounds.
