FACT_CHECK_NOT_FOUND


  • ♿ (Parody)

    Americans, at least, should be familiar with the "fact check" brand of "journalism." Some reporter-type takes a statement, usually from a politician, and makes some statement about the truth or falsity of the claims. Like snopes or something. Many of these checks end up being thinly veiled opinion pieces, but this one has surely jumped the shark. From the Washington Post

    @Glenn Kessler said:

    The Pinocchio Test

    We cannot fault the RNC’s math, as the numbers add up. But at this point this figure doesn’t mean very much. It may simply [sic] a function of a coincidence of timing — a brief blip that could have little to do with “Obama’s job market.”

    If trends hold up over the next few months, then the RNC might have a better case. But at this point we will give this statistic our rarely used label:

    TRUE BUT FALSE

    Dan Rather could not be reached for comment.



  • Sounds like they're in the "No Spin" Zone



  • The sad thing is, it looked like the piece was going to have a point. Until the quoted bit, at which point it goes from inconclusive with substance to utter nonsense.



  • This is pretty much how all "fact check" bullshit works:

    • Focus in on a single statement that you might be able to "disprove" by being a pedantic dickweed, ignore the entire larger argument: "The capital of Nebraska is Lincoln, not Omaha, so your entire theory about farm subsidies is incorrect."
    • Lie outright knowing your base will never call you on it: "As everybody knows, starvation has run rampant since Republicans took control of 1/6th of the government while the other 5/6ths remains in Democrat hands."
    • Concede every single fact but still "fact check" it as incorrect because you disagree with the conclusion: "Your facts may be entirely, 100% correct, but I still get 5 when I add 2 plus 2, so I deem this 'True but false'."

    The real amazing thing is that anybody even pays attention to their bullshit any more. And the left and the right media both do this, although in the US the mainstream media is pretty solidly left-wing.


  • ♿ (Parody)

    @morbiuswilters said:

    Focus in on a single statement that you might be able to "disprove" by being a pedantic dickweed, ignore the entire larger argument: "The capital of Nebraska is Lincoln, not Omaha, so your entire theory about farm subsidies is incorrect."

    Not necessarily. Here's another WaPo muppet ignoring what Obama said in order to fact check what the muppet thinks the President meant:
    @Josh Hicks said:

    The Facts

    We took the liberty of re-phrasing the president’s initial remarks to get at his overarching message. We removed the word “unprecedented,” since Obama walked that back, and we inserted the word “economic” before “law,” since the president added that distinction in his follow-up. We kept the word “extraordinary” and the part about judicial activism, since Obama never backed away from any of that.

    Say what?



  • Oh great, now we need a quad-state boolean.



  • @boomzilla said:

    @morbiuswilters said:
    Focus in on a single statement that you might be able to "disprove" by being a pedantic dickweed, ignore the entire larger argument: "The capital of Nebraska is Lincoln, not Omaha, so your entire theory about farm subsidies is incorrect."

    Not necessarily. Here's another WaPo muppet ignoring what Obama said in order to fact check what the muppet thinks the President meant:
    @Josh Hicks said:

    The Facts

    We took the liberty of re-phrasing the president’s initial remarks to get at his overarching message. We removed the word “unprecedented,” since Obama walked that back, and we inserted the word “economic” before “law,” since the president added that distinction in his follow-up. We kept the word “extraordinary” and the part about judicial activism, since Obama never backed away from any of that.

    Say what?

    That seems like bullet point #2: lie outright because you know your base will never call you on it. "Obama has lowered taxes more than any other single President." Of course it's a lie. You can also go for the slightly more generic "Obama has lowered taxes"; then he only has to lower a minimum of two obscure taxes that generate no revenue while raising the rest. Or "Obama has lowered taxes overall" which might even be true if you completely ignore debt. The thing you have to ask is: what are they leaving out? What wiggle room have they left themselves? Ask yourself that and 99% of the time you'll find what they don't want you to know.



  • @morbiuswilters said:

    Focus in on a single statement that you might be able to "disprove" by being a pedantic dickweed, ignore the entire larger argument
    This is just like my internets.



  • @morbiuswilters said:

    ... And the left and the right media both do this, although in the US the mainstream media is pretty solidly left-wing.

    ROFL. The "right wing" in the US today is so far right that McCarthy might be considered "left wing".


  • ♿ (Parody)

    @pjt33 said:

    The "right wing" in the US today is so far right that McCarthy might be considered "left wing".

    I'll assume you're talking about Joseph and not Jenny, though I can't rule it out. Foreigners believe weird things about American politics.

    Possibly. About all I know about him is that even though he was mostly right about Communist infiltration, he played it very poorly. It's also amusing that people often associate him with the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Of course, he was a Senator. But then, even most Democrats used to be anti-communists. And plenty of Republicans have been Progressive (yes, including George W Bush).

    Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party? Or did you have a point?



  • @boomzilla said:

    Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party? Or did you have a point?

    No, I'm a member of the Liberal Democrat party. (Before anyone asks, I don't wear sandals, but I do have a beard). And the point was that what US Americans consider "left wing" is pretty funny to the rest of us.


  • ♿ (Parody)

    @pjt33 said:

    And the point was that what US Americans consider "left wing" is pretty funny to the rest of us.

    OK. That wasn't very clear by your invocation of a prominent politician from 60 or so years ago. But I'm curious...what about Joseph McCarthy screams, "Right Wing" to you?

    We're amused that you think you have anything other than a left wing, so I guess it's mutual. The saddest thing is how far to left the Republicans actually are. Hint: look at what they actually do, not what they say.



  • @boomzilla said:

    Americans, at least, should be familiar with the "fact check" brand of "journalism." Some reporter-type takes a statement, usually from a politician, and makes some statement about the truth or falsity of the claims.

    I thought 'fact-checking' traditionally referred to checking statements asserted as fact [i]by the journalist[/i].


  • ♿ (Parody)

    @Hatshepsut said:

    I thought 'fact-checking' traditionally referred to checking statements asserted as fact by the journalist.

    Yeah, but there's no budget for that any more, and frankly, readers just want to be told what they already believe. Which, of course, is not new.



  • @pjt33 said:

    @morbiuswilters said:
    ... And the left and the right media both do this, although in the US the mainstream media is pretty solidly left-wing.

    ROFL. The "right wing" in the US today is so far right that McCarthy might be considered "left wing".

    Wow, you are really ignorant of history. Regardless, the left-right dichotomy is usually a pretty stupid way of classifying things. Enjoy your craphole of a country, though!



  • @pjt33 said:

    but I do have a beard

    What's her name?



  • @boomzilla said:

    But I'm curious...what about Joseph McCarthy screams, "Right Wing" to you?

    His antagonism to the left wing?

    @morbiuswilters said:

    Regardless, the left-right dichotomy is usually a pretty stupid way of classifying things.

    I'm sorry I brought it up. Oh, wait: I didn't.


  • ♿ (Parody)

    @pjt33 said:

    @boomzilla said:
    But I'm curious...what about Joseph McCarthy screams, "Right Wing" to you?

    His antagonism to the left wing whose goal was to destroy the country?

    FTFY. But antagonism of Communists is a pretty low bar to set. Heck, even France has some genuine Right Wingers under that definition!


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