04.02.07
Ideology trumps facts, data, and evidence
I’m seeing it in the discussion of national health insurance and, before that, saw it in the discussion of global warming: evidence against ideological positions is either ignored altogether (the most common response) or is labeled “incorrect” (with no evidence to back it up, other than that the evidence does not agree with the ideological position already taken).
And Glenn Greenwald has a wonderfully clear example in his column this morning: a right-winger who goes on and on about the lack of evidence that the US public opposes the war and the surge, in spite of many polls that show the clear evidence that such is the case. Read the column: the sheer ignorance and/or dishonesty of the right wing will (continue to) astound you.
This is all very reminiscent of Andrea Mitchell saying on nationwide TV that “most people” want Libby to be pardoned only days after a national poll showed that 69% OPPOSED a pardon, and only 18% favored the pardon.
Always ask for evidence to back up sweeping statements.
