Do the work in checking facts about candidates before vocalizing an opinion

Posted 26 October 2020 at 4:52 pm

Editor:

Former Judge Punch recently wrote a gracious letter simply asking people to fact check. He did state the conclusion of his careful analysis but did not insist, demand, or argue any facts. (I do that.)

His, Punch’s letter got a nicely written, but curious reply that dismissed his letter as being contrary to fact. It was  sad and off point as the writer repeatedly threw in bogus statements of fact as examples to show Judge Punch was misguided when he encouraged fact checking.

The last time around Donald Trump only had to throw stones at Clinton and Obama. This time he can blame his two years of failures with a Republican Congress, his former cabinet members, two of his attorneys, two of his National Security Advisors, two Chiefs of Staff, the FBI doing its job, jury verdicts, Russian disinformation about Ukraine etc., his FBI director, and any personality who does work for Fox (to name a few). He wants to claim he is a White Knight coming to the rescue.

The writer of that letter was simply overloaded by all these bogus claims and, if he fact checked, he only looked at a few facts. The ones he wanted to believe he simply repeated or else he would have had to admit his own moral compass was upset.

In other words I bet this Trump supporter – like most – has fallen so far down the rabbit hole from traditional moderate or conservative Republican into Trump’s ineffective and populist theatrics that he did not know how to face up to his mistaken reliance on the web of lies that has ensnared him.

Fact checking is time consuming. Here is a link to 8 reputable fact-checking websites. Be sure to really check facts and vote.

Our local businesses and governments needs massive support. Not spending money to test and trace has us headed to economic disaster as we fall behind our economic competitors. Making the same mistakes as President Hoover who limited spending, when spending was actually critical, thus letting the bottom drop out again will ruin all but the investor class who can move money offshore.

P.S. And thank you to both the Republican and Democratic election officials who made my voting here in Orleans easy and effortless. Our vote and peaceful transition has been and, if we are smart, should remain the standard for the free world!

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion