Opinions are like armpits; everyone has them, but most of them stink. This IS a political forum, so when we debate America's problems and how to solve them, we NEED to start with the truth. The words of other people DO add credibility. They reinforce and/or prove an argument. Especially if they are someone who has diligently investigated an issue or has inside information. That ADDS credibility. When David Frum, a Republican, admitted Republicans made a strategic decision at the start of the health care debate: 'to make no deal with the administration. No negotiations, no compromise, nothing. They were going for all the marbles. To hand Obama his Waterloo', it destroys the credibility of Republicans and makes all there claims (death panels, govt takeover) empty and contrived.
Knowledge is not something that magically ascends on you. You need to seek it out. You need to know where to look for it and you need to be able to decide if it is credible.
These issues are important to me, because people's health, well being and their very lives are the stakes. I want my children and grandchildren to live in a country that is civil, compassionate and has a large dose of human capital in our policies, laws and patriotism.
The great enemy of truth is very often not the lie – deliberate, contrived and dishonest – but the myth – persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.
President John F. Kennedy
