Political Panders

Pandering for Reelection

Statements listed below are demonstrably false, either by peer-reviewed scientific research, fact-based logical reasoning, or a preponderance of expert opinion. Panderbear knows the latter is appeal to authority; however, when there exists a consensus among experts in a given technical field, giving their opinions greater weight than pandering politicians seems fair. Panders listed here are the most longstanding, egregious, and destructive. They are used to argue for a lot of bad public policy. Each and every statement is false and people using them are pandering. Beware!

• Cutting taxes will stimulate the economy and reduce unemployment.
• Cutting regulations will stimulate the economy and reduce unemployment.
• The stimulus package didn't work.
• The Affordable Care Act is a government takeover of health care.
• Taxes are historically high.
• Illegal immigrants taking Americans' jobs are a major cause of unemployment.
• Raising taxes on the rich and corporations will hurt the economy.
• Raising taxes on the rich and corporations will increase unemployment.
• High taxes make American companies less competitive in global markets.
• Making the rich pay higher taxes is class warfare.
• Flat taxes are fairer than progressive tax rates.
• The GOP isn't the party of the rich.
• Redistribution of wealth is inherently bad.
• Income divergence doesn't matter.
• A large wealth gap doesn't matter.
• The American Dream is alive and well.
• Fox News is Fair and Balanced.
• American voters are open-minded.
• Racism is dead in America.
• Racial discrimination is dead in America.
• Sexual harassment is dead in America.
• Sex discrimination is dead in America.
• Liberals are bleeding hearts.
• Compromise in Congress is bad.
• Demanding political pledges leads to better public policy.
• All politicians are liars.
• Americans enjoy higher social mobility than other countries.
• Private enterprise can do everything better than government.
• There is no downside to American Exceptionalism.
• We're still in a recession.
• We have a spending problem, not a tax problem.
• People are unemployed because they are lazy.
• The welfare program is a significant contributor to the deficit.
• Free markets work better with fewer regulations.
• Capitalism works better with fewer regulations.
• Voters always act in accord with their own best interests.
• America has nothing to learn from other countries.
• The foreclosure crisis is the fault of homeowners and government mandates.
• Many scientists engage in long-lasting conspiracies and produce junk science.
• Labor unions are bad for the economy.
• Raising the minimum wage results in job losses.
• America has the best schools in the world.
• America has the best healthcare in the world.
• A rising tide lifts all boats.
• Class warfare is conducted by the political left.
• The U.S. has greater social equality than other countries.
• The U.S. has a level economic playing field with equal opportunity for all.
• The 47% of households paying no federal income tax are getting a free ride.
• President Obama is a big liar.
• President Obama has broken all his promises.
• President Obama's appointments have gone to a bunch of socialists.
• Smaller government is inherently better government.
• Corporations are people too.
• Social Security is broke.
• The Founding Fathers were for small government.
• The Founding Fathers were against a strong central government.
• Voter fraud is a big problem.
• The use of torture increases our national security.
• Waterboarding isn't torture.
• The Founding Fathers were politically conservative.
• President Obama created most of the national debt.
• Affirmative action is reverse discrimination.
• Every issue is a matter of opinion.
• A scientific theory is just somebody's guess.
• Most welfare recipients are welfare queens.
• Illegal immigrants receive welfare.
• Illegal immigrants receive Social Security
• Illegal immigrants commit violent crime at high rates
• Voters want to be told the truth.
• There should be no difference between principles and public policy.
• Guns don't kill, people do.
• Global warming is a hoax.
• There is controversy in the scientific community about global warming.
• Politicians do not do what they were elected to do.
• Republicans consistently support states' rights.
• We can have all the government services we demand and also cut taxes.

Panderbear created this list in just a few minutes. Many are addressed in previous posts. Some are not (yet), but Panderbear has researched them all.

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