Believability Is the Road to National Ruin

[jmyrlefuller]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/believability-is-the-road-to-national-ruin/ar-BBNHoOO?ocid=spartanntp
by Bret Stephens
Originally published in The New York Times
September 29, 2018

Do you believe Blasey? I watched her — vulnerable, obliging, guileless (precisely the opposite of what her skeptics suspected) — and found her wholly believable. If she’s lying, she will face social and professional ruin. Do you believe Kavanaugh? I watched him — meticulous, wounded, furious (wouldn’t you be, too, if you were innocent of such an accusation?) — and found him wholly believable. If he’s lying, he will face ruin as well. I found her likable; him, not so much. But likability is not what this is about.

Bottom line, I came away from the hearings feeling no more confident than I had the day before of who was being truthful. It was high drama but it was also a wash. What happened Thursday should not prevent Kavanaugh’s confirmation. Senators are within their rights to vote against the nomination out of philosophical differences. But to vote on the basis of a belief in things unseen and unproved is a road to national ruin.

(excerpt)

[skeeter]

Both believable? Try applying common sense & logic.

[mystery-ak]

Sorry I didn't believe her...I gave her a chance but the phony tears that in an instant turns to laughter with a Dem's question gave it away...the child like voice was to emote innocence...not buying that..plus all the lies of flying and being in MD letting the Committee Chairman make a fool out of himself thinking she was in Ca....

No not buying this act which is pretty good but remember she has been preparing since 2012

[roamer_1]

Both believable? Try applying common sense & logic.

Neither matter a whit.

Try conviction according to evidence. That which cannot be corroborated should return a null. Not for, not against... Null.

Recollections do not matter. Evidence does.
That does nothing to disparage Ford, with the exception that she brings no evidence beyond her own testimony.

That does nothing to disparage Kavanaugh, because that which cannot be proven cannot be held against him.

That is why one must stop this incessant gossip.

 

[TomSea]

Actually, a good metaphor, the protagonist did no wrong, it was some, well, it's the way Kafka wrote, probably free to read on the internet.

[HoustonSam]

Neither matter a whit.

Try conviction according to evidence.
 
That is why one must stop this incessant gossip.

Well stated @roamer_1.  The fundamental problem is the insistence on lowering the basis of constitutional procedure to pure emotion.  The business before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the nation at large, is whether or not Judge Kavanaugh is qualified to ascend to the US Supreme Court.  Christine Ford's feelings are simply not relevant to that business, nor are the feelings of all the women who are "inspired" by her "courage" to "tell their stories."  In my opinion Jeff Flake's cowardice when cornered in an elevator crystallizes the entire issue.

The ancillary question now raised by wallowing in solipsism is whether or not the country will allow a man to be destroyed, and his family irreparably harmed, by allegations for which no evidence has been submitted; allegations which have been contradicted by every named witness; allegations which were held in secret during the process designed to consider them then leaked after that process had been completed; allegations which have dragged the country into depths of puerile adolescent nonsense not even Trump considered during his nomination campaign; all in the transparent service of naked partisan advantage.

This problem goes beyond blatant democrat hypocrisy and lying.  Republicans from Trump to Flake are afraid to call for a factual consideration of the issue and insist on deferring to her "credibility" and "courage."

Christine Ford presented herself with precisely zero credibility on any subject.  She doesn't know where or when the party supposedly occurred, she doesn't know how she arrived or departed, her allegation is based on a "recovered memory", she was proven dishonest about her supposed fear of flying, she has a graduate level education but doesn't know the meaning of "exculpatory", she claims to be clueless about the financial support for her appearance before the Judiciary committee, and if she didn't know the Judiciary committee would come to her then her attorneys are guilty of malpractice.  Those who insist she was at all persuasive are simply hostage to the prevailing worship of the demographic victim hierarchy.

Ordered liberty is doomed in the United States so long as elected office holders fail to distinguish between fact and emotion, and insist on substituting "believability" for evidence.

[To-Whose-Benefit?]

Actually, a good metaphor, the protagonist did no wrong, it was some, well, it's the way Kafka wrote, probably free to read on the internet.

Here you go.

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7849

[Bigun]

People with no cognitive abilities will believe virtually anything.

[LMAO]

Well stated @roamer_1.  The fundamental problem is the insistence on lowering the basis of constitutional procedure to pure emotion.  The business before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the nation at large, is whether or not Judge Kavanaugh is qualified to ascend to the US Supreme Court.  Christine Ford's feelings are simply not relevant to that business, nor are the feelings of all the women who are "inspired" by her "courage" to "tell their stories."  In my opinion Jeff Flake's cowardice when cornered in an elevator crystallizes the entire issue.

The ancillary question now raised by wallowing in solipsism is whether or not the country will allow a man to be destroyed, and his family irreparably harmed, by allegations for which no evidence has been submitted; allegations which have been contradicted by every named witness; allegations which were held in secret during the process designed to consider them then leaked after that process had been completed; allegations which have dragged the country into depths of puerile adolescent nonsense not even Trump considered during his nomination campaign; all in the transparent service of naked partisan advantage.

This problem goes beyond blatant democrat hypocrisy and lying.  Republicans from Trump to Flake are afraid to call for a factual consideration of the issue and insist on deferring to her "credibility" and "courage."

Christine Ford presented herself with precisely zero credibility on any subject.  She doesn't know where or when the party supposedly occurred, she doesn't know how she arrived or departed, her allegation is based on a "recovered memory", she was proven dishonest about her supposed fear of flying, she has a graduate level education but doesn't know the meaning of "exculpatory", she claims to be clueless about the financial support for her appearance before the Judiciary committee, and if she didn't know the Judiciary committee would come to her then her attorneys are guilty of malpractice.  Those who insist she was at all persuasive are simply hostage to the prevailing worship of the demographic victim hierarchy.

Ordered liberty is doomed in the United States so long as elected office holders fail to distinguish between fact and emotion, and insist on substituting "believability" for evidence.

Good post by yourself and @roamer_1. Only  two people know what happened or didn't happen 30 some years ago. I saw that video of that crying woman who confronted Flake in the elevator. Her statement was something along the lines that if he confirmed Kavanaugh, he will be sending a message to all rape victims that a rapist can rape someone and get away with it. Well for one, we have no evidence Kavanaugh is a rapist. But their is another side to that woman's statement and that is if they don't confirm Kavanaugh based on an accusation, the message will be sent out that if you want to end careers, simply make accusations

[Bigun]

Well stated @roamer_1.  The fundamental problem is the insistence on lowering the basis of constitutional procedure to pure emotion.  The business before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the nation at large, is whether or not Judge Kavanaugh is qualified to ascend to the US Supreme Court.  Christine Ford's feelings are simply not relevant to that business, nor are the feelings of all the women who are "inspired" by her "courage" to "tell their stories."  In my opinion Jeff Flake's cowardice when cornered in an elevator crystallizes the entire issue.

The ancillary question now raised by wallowing in solipsism is whether or not the country will allow a man to be destroyed, and his family irreparably harmed, by allegations for which no evidence has been submitted; allegations which have been contradicted by every named witness; allegations which were held in secret during the process designed to consider them then leaked after that process had been completed; allegations which have dragged the country into depths of puerile adolescent nonsense not even Trump considered during his nomination campaign; all in the transparent service of naked partisan advantage.

This problem goes beyond blatant democrat hypocrisy and lying.  Republicans from Trump to Flake are afraid to call for a factual consideration of the issue and insist on deferring to her "credibility" and "courage."

Christine Ford presented herself with precisely zero credibility on any subject.  She doesn't know where or when the party supposedly occurred, she doesn't know how she arrived or departed, her allegation is based on a "recovered memory", she was proven dishonest about her supposed fear of flying, she has a graduate level education but doesn't know the meaning of "exculpatory", she claims to be clueless about the financial support for her appearance before the Judiciary committee, and if she didn't know the Judiciary committee would come to her then her attorneys are guilty of malpractice.  Those who insist she was at all persuasive are simply hostage to the prevailing worship of the demographic victim hierarchy.

Ordered liberty is doomed in the United States so long as elected office holders fail to distinguish between fact and emotion, and insist on substituting "believability" for evidence.

@HoustonSam

Excellent as usual for you and I will submit that the public convictions of at least two of our most prominent citizens on the basis of nothing more than outright lies and innuendo have already occurred in the recent past.  Specifically  Herman Cain and Roy Moore.

[jmyrlefuller]

Good post by yourself and @roamer_1. Only  two people know what happened or didn't happen 30 some years ago. I saw that video of that crying woman who confronted Flake in the elevator. Her statement was something along the lines that if he confirmed Kavanaugh, he will be sending a message to all rape victims that a rapist can rape someone and get away with it. Well for one, we have no evidence Kavanaugh is a rapist. But their is another side to that woman's statement and that is if they don't confirm Kavanaugh based on an accusation, the message will be sent out that if you want to end careers, simply make accusations

Leigh Corfman got away with it, so it only makes sense that the Democrats would go back to the same tactics for this. Just like the rape/abortion gotchas six years ago.

[roamer_1]

Ordered liberty is doomed in the United States so long as elected office holders fail to distinguish between fact and emotion, and insist on substituting "believability" for evidence.

Well hello @HoustonSam ! Nicely done, as always... I chewed on this a while last night, and came to the conclusion that expecting such out of politicians is asking too much... A scorpion is a scorpion, after all... Too bad we can't get statesmen in there instead. :)

No, it is more the heart of America that has been twisted to react to this insufferable pap - And it breaks my heart. If it weren't for the reaction, there would be no ratings, and no papers would be sold, and the political talking heads would die from lack of airtime... And this whole plot would come to nothing, having no profit from it.

We have met the enemy, and he is us. 

[Silver Pines]

Leigh Corfman got away with it, so it only makes sense that the Democrats would go back to the same tactics for this. Just like the rape/abortion gotchas six years ago.

@jmyrlefuller

Leigh Corfman, contrary to the predictions here that she would disappear, is suing Moore and her case is going forward.  Moore has twice tried to have the trial moved; both times the Alabama Supreme Court ruled against him.

He's suing the women for defamation, and he was also suing multiple political PACs for the same thing.  Earlier this month, the lawsuit against the PACs was dropped.  We'll see what else happens. 

Corfman might "get away with" something else.

[HoustonSam]

Well hello @HoustonSam ! Nicely done, as always... I chewed on this a while last night, and came to the conclusion that expecting such out of politicians is asking too much... A scorpion is a scorpion, after all... Too bad we can't get statesmen in there instead. :)

No, it is more the heart of America that has been twisted to react to this insufferable pap - And it breaks my heart. If it weren't for the reaction, there would be no ratings, and no papers would be sold, and the political talking heads would die from lack of airtime... And this whole plot would come to nothing, having no profit from it.

We have met the enemy, and he is us. 

Agreed @roamer_1; in an elected government we get the representation we deserve.  The leaders are focused on puerile trivia and counterfactual solipsism because the people are themselves so focused.