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Taking the false-equivalence fallacy to the extreme
Taking the false-equivalence fallacy to the extreme
By Steve Benen
One of my colleagues here at The Rachel Maddow Show reminded me this afternoon of comments President Obama made to Associated Press last week about the false-equivalence fallacy. Obama said, "I think that there is often times the impulse to suggest that if the two parties are disagreeing, then they're equally at fault and the truth lies somewhere in the middle, and an equivalence is presented -- which reinforces I think people's cynicism about Washington generally."
Given the political uproar of the day, it seems like a good time to revisit the subject.
What much of the political world seems to be saying today is that the "war on women" now has two competing counterweights.
One the one hand, we have a party that has pushed for restricting contraception; cutting off Planned Parenthood; state-mandated, medically-unnecessary transvaginal ultrasounds; forcing physicians to lie to patients about abortion and breast cancer; abortion taxes; abortion waiting periods; trap laws at abortion clinics, forcing women to tell their employers why they want birth control, opposition to prenatal care, and measures that make it harder for women to fight pay discrimination.
On the other hand, we have a media pundit with no connection to her party's presidential campaign who said something about Mitt Romney's wife professional background.
Don't you see? Both sides clearly have a problem here. Republicans were losing the "war on women," but not anymore.
- more -
http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/12/11166334-taking-the-false-equivalence-fallacy-to-the-extreme
By Steve Benen
One of my colleagues here at The Rachel Maddow Show reminded me this afternoon of comments President Obama made to Associated Press last week about the false-equivalence fallacy. Obama said, "I think that there is often times the impulse to suggest that if the two parties are disagreeing, then they're equally at fault and the truth lies somewhere in the middle, and an equivalence is presented -- which reinforces I think people's cynicism about Washington generally."
Given the political uproar of the day, it seems like a good time to revisit the subject.
Mitt Romney was losing the so-called "war on women. Badly. Until Democratic operative Hilary Rosen appeared on CNN Wednesday night and seemingly derided his wife's decision to stay at home and raise the couple's five boys.
What much of the political world seems to be saying today is that the "war on women" now has two competing counterweights.
One the one hand, we have a party that has pushed for restricting contraception; cutting off Planned Parenthood; state-mandated, medically-unnecessary transvaginal ultrasounds; forcing physicians to lie to patients about abortion and breast cancer; abortion taxes; abortion waiting periods; trap laws at abortion clinics, forcing women to tell their employers why they want birth control, opposition to prenatal care, and measures that make it harder for women to fight pay discrimination.
On the other hand, we have a media pundit with no connection to her party's presidential campaign who said something about Mitt Romney's wife professional background.
Don't you see? Both sides clearly have a problem here. Republicans were losing the "war on women," but not anymore.
- more -
http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/12/11166334-taking-the-false-equivalence-fallacy-to-the-extreme
President Obama must fire Hilary Rosen
by citizenx
It is pretty obvious that to get this entire ugliness behind us President Obama must fire Hilary Rosen.
Here are the steps the President must take and take them now!:
1.) Find out who Hilary Rosen is.
2.) Hire Hilary Rosen. (preferably to some czar level position)
3.) Express outrage over remarks that Hilary Rosen made.
4.) Apologize to Ann Romney.
5.) Fire Hilary Rosen.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/12/1082821/-President-Obama-must-fire-Hilary-Rosen-
by citizenx
It is pretty obvious that to get this entire ugliness behind us President Obama must fire Hilary Rosen.
Here are the steps the President must take and take them now!:
1.) Find out who Hilary Rosen is.
2.) Hire Hilary Rosen. (preferably to some czar level position)
3.) Express outrage over remarks that Hilary Rosen made.
4.) Apologize to Ann Romney.
5.) Fire Hilary Rosen.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/12/1082821/-President-Obama-must-fire-Hilary-Rosen-
2 replies
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