(02-18-2018 11:38 AM)Old Dominion Wrote:  

(02-17-2018 09:02 PM)TechRocks Wrote:  

(02-17-2018 08:45 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  I don't have any problem with this. I agree. I even get that as long as he's promoting an agenda you guys support you'll overlook his personal shortcomings.

Think I'll step back from the ledge and just watch for a while.

Thanks for a real explanation.

As you're aware, all of us are flawed, politicians especially, though I don't consider Trump a typical politician as he certainly hasn't been a career politician. I've got no problem overlooking his personal shortcomings as I've got many of my own.

What has won me over to the man like no other president I've supported in the past is that he's actually worked hard at trying to honor his campaign promises. Again, his supreme court nomination was a 500 foot home run for me.

Now, having said that, I'm most disappointed that one of the big ones, he's let slide.....that specifically of revisiting the Hillary server scandal. I wanted to see him push congress and the DOJ to reinvestigate that affair since I'm convinced that you or I would be in jail had we done the same as she. What may happen is that once the IG's report comes out, he'll have the ammo he needs to make that happen. Time will tell.

If you're against Trump and what he's doing, that's fine. We're here to debate these issues. Just try to keep the facts sorted out from opinion. Everyone's entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts.

Ok as you all know I'm pretty new to this. I get very confused by posters (myself included) who intermingle opinions with facts, then throw in personal shots.
Another problem I see is most want people to back up claims that appear on the surface to be self evident. Case in point: I mentioned the repubs engaged in dirty politics during the campaign. Dunk then asks for specific evidence. Do I need to really take this seriously? Are we not all willing to acknowledge things that are self evident? Does anyone who s trying to be honest want to argue or suggest the repubs don't engage in dirty politics? This really frustrates me. I start thinking this is not a serious place of discussion, just a place where people go to score points. I then become as snarky as I can. I really do want to learn and understand the conservative point of view. I'm having a hard time getting past the vitriol.

That's your opinion and no one knows what you call "facts" unless you show it with a link pointing to what you consider facts. First off you state you know very little to nothing about Hillary's problems or Obama's action to the Russians. To those of us on this board...that's a mind blowing, trolling comment. So after saying something like that...people are going to ask you to back your opinion up. Dirty politics has a 1000 diferent means and levels

that's part of the Spin Room AUP http://csnbbs.com/thread-746084.html

Maybe you should read it
1. You are expected to be civil.
2. You are expected to defend your position.
3. You are expected to focus on the debate, not the poster.
4. You are expected to make a good faith effort to interact with the community.
5. You are expected to use the report button if you have concerns with a post or comment.
6. Do not troll.
7. Do not use slurs or call people names.
8. Do not discuss moderation issues in public.
9. Do not bring another user’s personal details into comments.
10. Do not spam the board with a bunch of highly similar topics.

OD, one thing I learned long ago after getting my ass handed to me by posters with more experience than I on political forums was that I needed to carefully separate my opinions from my assertions.

An opinion does not need to backed up by fact......a simple "I believe", or "I suspect", or "I think", is enough to defend yourself when expressing an opinion. Others may ask how you developed that opinion, but you're under no obligation to respond if you you don't care to.

However, when you say something like, "Trump has denied for over a year now that Russians tried to meddle in our election", now you've made an assertion, an assertion that was clearly in error and one which anyone (like I did) can challenge you to back up with facts.

Now, no one can prove a negative, but with multiple links to actual quotes of Trump, I proved your assertion was in error.

That's how the game should be played.

Got it. I'll try very hard to adhere to your advice. However, it is my OPINION that virtually everyone on this board makes assertions without backing them up from time to time and virtually everyone on this board makes personal attacks from time to time.
I don't really see myself as being all that different from most, although I freely admit I'm not as astute at offering proof for what I assert as fact.
I'll get better at this.

(02-18-2018 01:20 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  Got it. I'll try very hard to adhere to your advice. However, it is my OPINION that virtually everyone on this board makes assertions without backing them up from time to time and virtually everyone on this board makes personal attacks from time to time.
I don't really see myself as being all that different from most, although I freely admit I'm not as astute at offering proof for what I assert as fact.
I'll get better at this.

I agree, and sometimes, as you've suggested, the assertions are self-evident. Don't fall for posters who simply wish to see you chase your tail trying to prove something that is self-evident. However, if an assertion is not self-evident, feel free to ask them to back it up with a link to fact.....not another opinion piece, but fact.

When I'm typing something here and make an assertion, I usually know ahead of time if it's going to be challenged or not. Sometimes I link it in the same post just to stop someone from asking for it. Other times I don't link it intentionally because I know someone won't believe me and I can make them look silly with a solid link posted in response to their request. Sort of a........