Giving You Facts, So You Can Form Your Own Opinions

Once upon a time, the news gave you the facts, and let you form your own opinion.  Today, news “personalities” give opinions as if they are facts, and tell you what to think.

Everything is ‘in the moment’ and things like long term consequences are ignored. Rules are rewritten by majority politicians to make it easier to accomplish their goals, but then those same politicians cry foul when they find themselves in the minority and those new rules work against them.

Often the truth is twisted into a lie. Like when one political party accuse the other of trying to cut funding for school lunch programs, only to find out later that the other politicians actually proposed to reduce an INCREASE in funding from 4.5% to 3.5%.

Double standards often run rampant in politics. For instance, a politician or public figure is accused of sexual assault, the politicians from an opposing party might call out “Women should be believed!” and demand the person be punished or removed from office. However, when one of their colleagues is accused of the same crime, those same politicians may insist allegations should be investigated before judgement is passed.

To paraphrase a quote that is often attributed to Thomas Jefferson, “The price of freedom, is eternal vigilance”.  It is important to pay attention to what is going on in our community, and around the world, but we must also be vigilant, and think for ourselves.