Partisan hackery

I don't know if hackery is a word or not according to the dictionary, but it is to me. We've seen a bunch of it over the election, and it's been over the top after the election. That's being polite.

Let's ask a simple question. A politician or other public figure does some specific thing. Set aside the actual legality of it for a moment, since no real person knows in advance what a lawyer or judge would say. Is it right or wrong?

Most people don't want to answer that question, saying they need more information. The key piece they are often looking for is WHICH public figure. That drives their answer. If the answer varies depending on who it is, you are a partisan hack. You should be ashamed of yourself.

The answers should depend on the data. If something is wrong when done by one side of an issue, it's wrong when done by the other side.

It's bad enough when people spin the facts to put the best polish on whatever supports their position, and minimizes contrary ones. Then it gets to mis-stating or ignoring facts. Then there's outright lies. The phrase these days is 'throwing red meat to the base.' They would rather fire up their already committed base, than try to actually expand their appeal to other people. When the base is just big enough that together with some naive additions, they gain power, one can see their reasoning. Pity.

All that does is divide us. Much as people say they don't want to see negative campaigning, it works. As long as candidates are rewarded for doing it, they will continue. Nobody wants to be the first to stop and lose the election.

It's going to be even harder to stop now that lots of people are worked up into a white-hot fury about the results. I can't imagine what the government could do to calm them down, since they won't believe anything that's said, and won't trust anything that's done. More lies isn't going to help. And neither, apparently, will actual facts.

Is this the sunset on a fact driven life? Or a sunrise of a new world because we're sick of it and do something to make change?

Some dragonflies from earlier this year.

Lynx of the Day

Deadwood of the Day

Scavenger Photo(s)
Two today, I couldn't think of anything for a long time, then I got on a roll.