Slight of Hand: Conservatives Can't Debate Romney

I've noticed lately that every time someone posts a discussion about Romney, the conversation ends up being about President Obama.  Actually, I noticed this a while ago with some of the conservatives which whom I routinely have debates.  I had hoped that it was a localized phenomenon, but sadly I was wrong. 

Does this sound familiar to anyone who has tried to discuss Romney's many failings with a conservative?

"But look at what Obama did!"

That's all I seem to hear anymore.  Romney economic plan a joke?  But Obama increased the debt!  Romney proving he is a complete failure at foreign relations?  But Obama didn't have any experience and look at the riots in Libya and Egypt!  Romney obviously trying to hide something in the tax returns that he refuses to release?  But Obama hasn't given us all of his educational records!  Romney dismissed 47 percent of Americans as not his problem?  But Obama is a radical Muslim communist!

I like to call this recent tactic by conservatives, "slight of hand."  They are like magicians trying to hide what they are doing in one hand by making you focus on something else in their other hand.  The problem is that they don't really have any way to defend Romney's complete inadequacy as a candidate because he is practically indefensible.  By his own admission he doesn't have any complete plans for the country.  He is relying on certain "principles" to guide his policies and actions.  But try to bring that up with a conservative and you'll get a discussion of Obama's policies.  

I love debates.  They are a big reason that I do this blog.  I think that, as long as we keep an open mind in a debate, we open ourselves to new perspectives that help us learn and grow.  But that doesn't work if a debate is simply a forum for pointing fingers at Obama without actually discussing the issue.  I would love to see a conservative debate something posted about Romney without using the word Obama.  Just once.  You never know, maybe if they had some good points I might look at an issue differently. 

Ignorance is Bliss...

Since the Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act, I have spent a lot of time debating the issue with some conservatives.  This isn’t another attempt to do that.  This is a discussion of the problems I have with debating these people. 

I have a fairly simple request when I debate people…support your arguments.  It’s not a difficult thing to do if you are using sound, reasoned arguments.  That’s the problem.  While I did have a couple of people actually use sources, the majority of these people just posted the same recycled arguments that they have heard on television, radio, or read on their conservative websites.  After using articles from peer-reviewed journals and trusted sources that included facts and figures, I was met with people who just chose to turn a blind eye.  First, they would try to dispute the validity of the facts and figures.  Unless there is a valid reason to dispute them, such as them coming from an untrustworthy source, they are valid.  For statistics like the population of the United States, the commonly accepted trusted source is the Census Department.  (Yes, I used this and it was questioned.)  Then they would attack the journal articles.  Now, I’m not saying everyone has to agree, but don’t tell me an article from a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal is invalid if you haven’t even read the research and have a real point of opposition.  Because you don’t like the fact that it totally invalidates most of your argument is not justification for the conclusions being valid.  These kinds of articles are the standard for academic discussion.  Finally, in a last, desperate attempt to have an argument, my citations were completely ignored.  I was first told that I didn’t use any, and when I proved it, I was told all of my information was refuted.  Well, that’s pretty impossible since I know that not one person I was debating can refute the Census Department or a journal article for which they only have access to read the abstract. 

Retrieved from http://www.politicalruminations.com/2010/09/cartoon-of-the-week.html

Now, I have some friends who might read this and say, “Wait a minute!  I don’t do that.”  I do have some conservative friends who can give me a very challenging and worthy debate.  I have even lost debates with a couple of them (I’m looking at you, Josh.)  Not because I think my position was wrong, just because I wasn’t prepared enough to provide reasonable responses.  Obviously, this is not directed at those people.  In fact, none of those people even attempted to debate the issue.  (I wonder why?) 

After two days of repeating myself over and over for two days and having people stare at the face of my arguments and ignore reason, I have grown tired.  I usually enjoy these kinds of debates.  I like proving people wrong.  It’s even easy in most cases.  But, when the only response you get is nonsense, it stops being fun.  I have fully embraced the fact that I am truly a full-blooded liberal at heart.  I don’t apologize for it, and I don’t apologize for the fact that I think conservative philosophy is nonsense founded in stupidity.  All I’m asking is, please, for the love of Pete, have at least some standards when you debate me.  While I love stomping on conservative ideas, it’s becoming too easy.  It’s almost not even fun anymore.  Almost.

© Keith Tucker