Their faith in Rush is stronger than our faith in the truth.

[rudy23]

I think that's what is going to come out of this healthcare debate. And I'm not blaming us so much as acknowledging what's happened. It's not usually a bad thing that our side is the side that has critical thinking skills, and questions what we hear in order to get down to the bottom of the truth.

It's just difficult because in an argument, we often find that faith trumps reason the way rock beats scissors. Someone who insists that 1 + 1 = 3 has the advantage over someone who's pretty sure 1 + 1 = 2, but allows that there may be some chance that there could be circumstances for an exception. That's the nature of truth-seeking--there's always some degree of self doubt.

That's what handicaps us in a debate like healthcare. That degree of self doubt that the other side does not have. We need to start figuring out the common values in which we do have that kind of faith. To go past the numbers, or use the numbers to show our faith in our dedication to helping humanity, especially when it comes to health.

[CrispyQ]

1. Respectfully, I disagree.

It's not that the 'equals two' crowd is 'pretty sure.' We know the facts & the facts are on our side. The problem is that the 'equals three' crowd doesn't care about facts. It's like my right winger mom once said, "The facts won't change how I feel."

What handicaps us in the debate for health care is the fucking media, reporting the lies & distortions like they are truth.

[Avalux]

2. NO. I vehemently disagree.

The other side beats their followers over the head with FEAR. Limbaugh et al use fear as a tool to manipulate and invoke emotional responses - "government is evil, they're going to take from you."

When you have a group of people who are already fearful of their economic future and you tell them they're going to lose even more, they respond irrationally.

Facts and truth have a difficult time operating in that environment - has nothing to do with faith.