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Why do conservatives lie so much?

Travis

Misanthrope of the Mountains
Travis
Joined
Mar 31, 2007
Messages
24,133
Because this is just so, so common.

Setup. The Navy decided that they wanted to update the way they feed sailors. To do this they looked to their own Navy Seals, guys who typically like to eat well, and adopted their Fuel To Fight program. The Navy rebranded it "Go For Green" and started to revamp their galleys on ships and bases.

From The Navy Times.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus announced a host of sweeping changes in May that will affect everything from promotions and training to uniforms and fitness. As part of that, he has set his sights on a well-balanced diet, which he calls "the foundation of a healthy lifestyle" that will provide capable warfighters and lower medical costs.


Mabus touted the SEALs' "Fuel to Fight" program as an example. It increases the availability of lean-proteins, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates to fuel, rather than feed, the warfighter. Other galleys here have implemented "Go for Green," a Department of Defense nutrition program that teaches sailors to recognize and select healthier foods.
As leadership looks to boost sailors' nutrition to new levels, the recipe will mix these programs and add new ingredients. Mabus promised to "further develop the concept at one sea-based and one shore-based unit next year, and implement it fleet-wide in 2017."
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Sounds okay to me. Does it sound nefarious to you?

And that's where the popular online news site Conservative Tribune comes into the picture. Conservative Tribune (tagline: In Defense Of Western Civilization) ran the following headline.

BREAKING: Michelle Takes Food From U.S. Navy, Sailors Immediately Unleash THIS Response

​
Hmm, so what? This enigmatic lead then was followed by this:


The brave, hard-working sailors who make up the ranks of the United States Navy were outraged after they learned of a coming food ban that may have been instigated by the gross overreach of First Lady Michelle Obama’s “healthy” eating agenda.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus announced that at some point in the near future, fried chicken, french fries and other fried foods often served to hungry, calorie-burning sailors busy defending our country will be permanently banned from Navy menus.


Sailors aren’t happy about it, either. They used the Navy Time’s Facebook page to vent their frustrations, accusing Obama of using her influence to promote what she thinks is considered healthy eating, even though that’s largely not the case.
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So...what was a Navy initiative to make their menus healthier, on e based on a preexisting Navy Seals program, somehow got turned into a "food ban" by Michelle Obama.

Interestingly the first link up there in that article leads to another Conservative Tribune article about a single case where a single student found a worm in their lunch which somehow was Michelle Obama's fault. The last link is to another CT article about a student writing a letter complaining about their lunch.

Did Michelle Obama have any connection to this Navy initiative? Well aside form the fact that I'm pretty sure the First Lady has little to no authority over the Department of Defense flower gardens let alone their nutritional policies I also can find zero reference to it outside of this CT article. In fact Snopes came up empty too. http://m.snopes.com/navy-food-changes/

So, to recap. The Navy changes their menu. Conservatives turn this into a food ban which will lead to sailors starving while out at sea. This gets shared a bazillion times on facebook which is where I ended up finding it when someone smeared it in my virtual face going "SEE, THIS IS WHY MOOOCHELLE IS EVIL!"

And there you go. Lies and confirmation bias. Par for the course for the right wing these days.
 
It's the sad state of political discourse in america. Progressives do it all the time too, just have a look at huffpost or salon. I'm glad the navy will be getting healthier menus. People these days actually want to eat healthy.
 
ThunderChunky said:
It's the sad state of political discourse in america. Progressives do it all the time too, just have a look at huffpost or salon. I'm glad the navy will be getting healthier menus. People these days actually want to eat healthy.
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I remember when "mid rats" (midnight rations for guys going on the 0000-0400 watches) consisted of a tray of cold cuts, a tray of cheese, and coffee or "bug juice".

"We don't have to do this, you know."

"Try not doing it, cookie."
 
theprestige said:
Probably for the same reasons progressives lie so much. You know how it is, Travis.
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Demonstrate this. Don't just say progressives lie so much too without backing it up with statistics.

In fact I'll thrown down a challenge. Go here http://m.snopes.com/whats-new/ and tabulate the right wing lies vs the left wing lies. Come back when you have the results.
 
Travis said:
Demonstrate this. Don't just say progressives lie so much too without backing it up with statistics.
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"hope and change"
"I will not allow lobbyists ti influence my administration"
"If you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it"
"I did not have sex with that woman"
"The most transparent administration in history"

Etc...
etc...
etc...

Your OP falls for the demonic one side and the heavenly other that does no wrong preaching... fair enough to point the OP subject as an example, but the above post is just silly
 
Grizzly Bear said:
"hope and change"
"I will not allow lobbyists ti influence my administration"
"If you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it"
"I did not have sex with that woman"
"The most transparent administration in history"

Etc...
etc...
etc...

Your OP falls for the demonic one side and the heavenly other that does no wrong preaching... fair enough to point the OP subject as an example, but the above post is just silly
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You're right! We heard absolutely nothing like that from the right.
 
This author seems to be going the National Enquirer route.

1) They just report what they hear (and apparently are quoting posts to Facebook).
2) They later take a shot at appearing fair and balanced, and add: "While Michelle may not have been directly involved in the decision..."
3) Then they bring it all home:
..., it’s clear that her over-zealous desire to force the entire country to be nutritious has created a culture among the federal bureaucracy that seeks to do just that — even at the expense of our troops. U.S. soldiers are among the most healthy people in the country, and if anyone deserves to be able to eat what they want, it’s our heroes in the military.
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And with that level of journalism, I think it is about as valuable to criticize this source, and use it as an example of the ethics of some segment of the population (political or otherwise), as it is the aforementioned Enquirer.
 
This seems quite naive? It seems you are suggesting that conservatives lie at a greater rate than liberals. I think its up to you to show this. Your one anecdote will not suffice.
Go ahead and show your evidence. Dont forget to correct for errors. The suggestion that someone might just tabulate the sheer number of lies on one website (snopes) implies a simplistic view. One such error to correct for would to ensure you don't just take samples from one Presidential term since it is generally the opposition to sitting power which tends to employ this tactic you speak of. You will need to use a long enough time period and search the various mediums used to employ these lies. For instance the internet and its ease that lies can be made up and spread will need to be weighted against print lies from a previous time period.

It seems to me you are guilty of what you just poorly attempted to point out.
Intolerance of lies and misinformation should apply to all lies....not just conservative lies.

Have you attempted to assess your own potential bias? You seem fairly young. Obama has now been in power or some time, probably a decent percentage of your life. Its stands to reason that the majority of your exposure to these tactics have been pointed towards Obama. Could it be possible that your personal sample has been tainted?

Dont be fooled. Unscrupulous people can be found everywhere. Also keep in mind many of the fabricators of these obvious lies have little affiliation except to make money.
 
Grizzly Bear said:
I know I am!!!:jedi:
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I expect more from you Travis.

Some third-rate, right-wing, self-serving "news" site is NOT representative of the conservative movement.
Website like that one generate revenue by making **** up.

You may be correct in asserting that conservatives lie more often or tell more dangerous lies or tell bigger lies or take greater pleasure in telling lies or have a natural affinity for telling lies or ...but I digress...., but there is zero evidence in your opening post.

ETA
Furthermore, in the words of George Costanza, "It is not a lie if you really believe it."
The top-ranking conservative leaders may really see the world so differently from the way we do that to them, they aren't telling lies.
 
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