47% Rules and 100% Can’t Tell Apples from Oranges!

When people confuse apples with oranges, fling wildly disparate invectives at a single argument, and conflate facts, my foghorn goes into overdrive. Our political system seems intent on eliminating both clarity and facts. Consider the following “facts” that you may have heard in the past week and the incredible coincidence that almost all seem to involve 47% of the people!

  • 47% of Americans are moochers
  • 47% pay no taxes
  • 47% are victims who will never be convinced to take personal responsibility
  • 47% support Obama
  • 47% are lost to Romney
  • 47% are dependent on government

Which is it? Where is the clarity?

Are seniors on social security and medicare, to which they’ve contributed their entire working lives, moochers?
Are sales tax, gasoline tax, state tax, excise tax, and real estate taxes not taxes?
If you make too little money to pay income taxes are you a moocher, a victim, and dependent on government?
If you are rich but have found enough loop holes to pay no taxes are you a moocher, a victim, and dependent on government?
If you pay no taxes, are you guaranteed to support Obama and be lost to Romney?
Let me add a few more claims while we are abusing the number 47:
  • 47% love apples
  • 47% love oranges
  • and 100% can’t tell the difference between apples and oranges!
When clarity is so clearly missing, I wish the politicians, media, and people in general would quit talking! Better to ask clarifying questions than to repeat inflammatory and misleading claims.
Stand up for clarity! At least 47% of the time!
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