A recent editorial cartoon in The Robesonian joked that the Republican presidential debates were short on facts because the polls didn’t show an interest in facts. The polls? That would be the electorate, you and me.
I often wonder if anyone I talk with, or any voices in the media, are interested in addressing facts rather than just spouting opinions. That’s an exaggeration, of course. I know some people in both parties who diligently educate themselves about current issues and elections, but they’re in the minority. I’m preaching to myself because, often, I’m not a member of that politically educated group.
In fact, the reason I started reading The Robesonian regularly was because I had no answers when my parents’ CNA would ask what I thought of this or that local story that she had read in the paper. So, after being embarrassingly ignorant for months, I started reading the paper. Thank you, Sally.
It’s understandable why we don’t go to the trouble of getting thorough information: It’s time consuming to gather and analyze facts about complicated topics. It takes more than reading local news or watching headline TV, but we have to start somewhere. I’ve expanded from public radio, to news on my smart phone, and now to The Robesonian. I’ve even called candidates to ask where they stand on specific issues.
Our phones and tablets have plenty of great information, but it may not be balanced. Also, we need to reach out to sources and people we don’t necessarily agree with. Like it or not, the other side does make some valid points. I don’t like Rush Limbaugh or Bill O’Reilly’s bullying styles, but they’re smart guys who bring up topics and viewpoints I need to consider. Listening to more than my own perspective makes me think about why I disagree with them, where I stand and why.
Let’s say we do make the effort to educate ourselves. The next step is trying to distinguish truth from fiction. Usually when politicians or neighbors offer facts, they’re parsed out selectively to prove themselves right and the other side wrong. Consequently, I rarely trust either side’s information. The “facts” they quote appear to be chosen to confuse rather than clarify. It’s about making headlines rather than making headway toward good decision-making.
What’s more, seeking out the facts may prove us wrong or contradict our cultural expectations, our family or religious beliefs, or our anecdotal experience. With enough facts, we might have to change long-held beliefs. OMG! What if Obama really isn’t Muslim?
I’d appreciate the candidates and the media providing reliable, objective information that I could trust to make decisions about complex policies. Maybe you have all the answers, but I could use help with questions such as, on balance, how well is the Affordable Care Act providing health insurance for those who need it most? Or, would having our sons and daughters fighting on the ground in Syria achieve our national objectives in the long run?
How can we citizens expect candidates and elected officials to base their positions on facts when we rarely pay attention to facts? Why are we outraged when our leaders blather about which candidate has the craziest hair or a sexist spouse when their hair and gender are water cooler topics?
Donald Trump admitted that being politically correct — that is, polite — didn’t get people’s attention; if it would, he wouldn’t be leading the Republican polls. The truth is, politicians are dishing out what we order: controversy and conflict, bashing and badmouthing.
Rather than focusing on PBS’s courteous Brooks-and-Shields debates, we listen to those with strident, easy-to-repeat solutions that support our own biased opinions. This saves us from having to do the hard work of thinking for ourselves.
Back to the cartoon:
— Do your daily discussions about the election include thought-provoking back-and-forth about candidates or political issues?
— Could you support your opinions with balanced facts and figures, not just those your buddy sent you in a bombastic email? Please check the information in those emails before hitting the forward key. Try Snopes.com, FactCheck.org.
— Do you actually stop, listen to, and objectively consider reasoned arguments from those who disagree with you?
— Do you research the facts behind your own opinions?
I suspect the honest answers would most often be “not usually.” The primaries begin in about a month, with the national election in less than a year. Seems to me that it’s time the polls — you and I — start paying attention to facts and demanding the same of our prospective leaders.
