The straw man

Republicans frequently employ the informal fallacy. This category of faulty reasoning includes such problems as ad hominem (personal) attacks, begging the question, equivocation, false dilemma, faulty analogy, inconsistency and more. (Here is an interesting list).

Informal fallacies are not fallacies of logic (those are called formal fallacies). Rather, they are fallacies caused by faulty premises or vague definitions. They are errors in reason. Many people believe and spread these fallacies because they have been deceived, but the right-wing propagandists they listen to use informal fallacies as a deliberate strategy to manipulate opinion.

One of the most insidious of these is the fallacy known as “straw man.” Oxford has two definitions for “straw man” The first is “An intentionally misrepresented proposition that is set up because it is easier to defeat than the opponent’s real argument.” The second definition is “A person regarded as having no substance or integrity.”

Of course, Donald J. Trump is a literal example of the second definition, but my purpose here is to discuss the first definition – intentional misrepresentation. Republicans do it all the time against Democrats.

Talking past one another

It has frustrated me for decades that whenever I attempt to discuss my political views with a Republican, we always seem to be talking past one another. I can tell that they are not listening to what I actually have to say. Instead, they keep arguing against some proclaimed “Democratic position” that I know to be either an exaggeration, an over-simplification, or just patently false.

I have long wanted Republicans to stop telling me, and each other, what Democrats believe and start to ask, and listen to, some actual Democrats. Over the years I have been told that we Democrats are “soft on crime,” “don’t support our troops,” “hate the police,” “care more about endangered species than about people,” “want to take jobs away from American citizens and give them to illegal immigrants,” and “are baby killers.”

I have also been told that because I am a Democrat I am a “Communist” (not true) and/or a “Socialist” (possibly true, depending on how you define the word). But, who are they to tell me what I believe?

For years the propagandists said, loudly and repeatedly, that “Obama wants to take away your guns.” It never happened. He never even tried. Now they say the same thing about President Biden. The purpose of the lie (like all of the other lies listed above) is to gain votes by invoking fear.

Attacks based on faulty premises

Questioning the purpose or value of an armed intervention in another country has nothing at all to do with supporting our troops. In fact, low military salaries, underfunded VA hospitals, lack of federal support for veterans, and lousy benefits for surviving spouses and families, is largely the fault of stingy Republicans.

Pointing out that police are generally poorly prepared to deal with mental illness, poverty, and drug addiction on the streets, and even suggesting that perhaps some of their funding should be diverted to deal with these social issues, is not a personal attack on police. It is an attempt to place resources where they will be the most effective.

Republicans don’t want to have serious discussions about difficult issues. It is much easier, and goes over better with their ignorant base, to just paste harsh, unflattering labels on the Democrats.

Setting up the straw man

The trick is to define the “Democratic position” in a simplistic, and preferably shocking, way and then attack THAT position rather than what the Democrats are actually proposing. Immigration becomes “invasion,” environmental protection becomes “job destroying,” and abortion becomes “murder.” These policy issues are never discussed in a serious, problem-solving, way because the Republicans have poisoned the well (a preemptive version of the ad hominem fallacy).

The Republicans, by ignoring what Democrats actually say, proclaiming a false or distorted position as the Democratic position, and then attacking that position, are essentially debating themselves. They create a monster and then present themselves as the monster killer.

Don’t listen to nonsense

Our citizens need to learn to how to see through this charade. It should be obvious that one cannot get an accurate picture of a Democratic policy proposal by watching Fox News. Yet many Republicans have now limited themselves to ONLY watching, reading, and listening to biased, often conspiratorial, “news” sources that are good at creating outrage, but never bother to examine the issues.

We need to remember that those who cannot define their terms literally don’t know what they are talking about. This is true of much, perhaps most, of the policy discussion in our country — especially on social media. On the other hand, those who know, but refuse, to define their terms, are propagandists. They are deliberately spreading disinformation.

It should go without saying, but don’t listen to idiots or to propagandists.

Sophia A. McClennen, “Why it’s (almost) impossible to argue with the right,” Salon, July 18, 2021.
Ibram X. Kendi, “There Is No Debate Over Critical Race Theory,” The Atlantic, July 9, 2021.
Cody Cain, “Republicans claim to fear left-wing authoritarianism — but there’s no such thing,” Salon, August 14, 2021.