Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Research shows...

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Research shows...:

Research shows...

by Mike Klonsky

"Figures don't lie but liars figure" -- Mark Twain

It seems that all political charlatans, demagogues, and think-tankers need to do these days to push their agenda is make some absurd declaration and put the words, "research shows" or "Study:" in front of it.

Here's one example: "Study: Obama's health care law would raise deficit." In this case, a conservative think tank, George Mason University's Mercatus Center, created with Koch Bros. money, produced an obviously biased "study" by a well known, right-wing political hack and held a press conference. Some lazy journalist or campaign news-hungry media will inevitably take the bait and present it as if the research is genuine or speaks for itself.

Chicago Rahm Emanuel has taken a page from the Koch Bros. book by using the