Circuit Rider: TEA--Taxed Enough Already!

Monday, April 13, 2009

TEA--Taxed Enough Already!

Dear Friends,
On Tax Day, Wednesday, April 15, local groups will be holding TEA Parties all over the country. Because of my schedule, I won't be able to get away to go to one, but I will be wearing a tea bag pinned to my lapel all day. I'll be looking forward to explaining it to anyone who asks.
How about you?
PS

No comments:

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Logical Fallacies

Ad baculum--Argument "with a stick," an offer they can't refuse.
Ad hominem--Literally "to the man," a personal attack to distract from
Ad miserecordiam--An appeal for pity. "I'm so pathetic; you have to let me be right."
Ad verecundiam--An appeal to dubious authority, i.e. celebrity endorsements without the necessary expertise.
False analogy--An inaccurate or misleading comparison that ignores significant differences.
False dilemma--Forcing an artificial choice between two unacceptable options, ignoring other, less onerous possibilities.
Faulty syllogism--A syllogism draws a conclusion from the linkage of two or more premises, but it still can't defy logic; e.g. All cats have four legs. My dog has four legs; therefore, my dog is a cat.
Non sequitur--"Does not follow." The conclusion isn't connected to the premise.
Over-generalization--Drawing a conclusion not supported by sufficient data, or grouping unlike items together as if they all belonged in one class.
Oxymoron--A self-contradictory statement
Post hoc ergo propter hoc--"After this, therefore because of this." Mistaking sequence for cause.
Red herring--A minor, untruthful or irrelevant argument used to distract from the core issue
Reductio ad absurdum--To carry a concept or principle to an absurd extreme
Straw man--Refuting the weakest or most irrationally extreme version of the opposition argument, so as to dodge more difficult issues.
Tu quoque--"You did it, too." A distraction (see Red herring) from the core argument.

Propaganda Techniques

Card stacking--Manufacturing or manipulating evidence in support of a position.
Euphemism--Use of a pleasant sounding term to disguise a distasteful idea.
Glittering generalities--Phrases that sound wonderful but have little meaning, such as "super-sized" or " improved."
Hyperbole--Exaggrating beyond reason or truth.
Name calling--Just what it sounds like, discrediting the opposition with ugly epithets.
Scapegoating--Pointing the finger of blame at a person or group to draw attention away from one's own guilt.
Spin--Verbal and logical acrobatics employed to limit the damage of an unguarded statement and/or make a negative appear positive.
The Big Lie--Nazi Leader Joseph Goebbels taught that "when one lies, one should lie big, and stick to it." Ironically he was accusing the British of lying at the time.
Vox populi, vox dei--"The voice of the people is the voice of God." If it's popular, it must be right.