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Free Speech

Facebook, Instagram Posts Flagged as False for Rejecting Biden's Recession Wordplay

"The fact-checking industry has become a partisan arbiter of political disputes," notes Phil Magness.

Robby Soave | 7.29.2022 5:24 PM

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Fact-checkers are defending Biden's recession wordplay | Chris Kleponis - Pool via CNP/CNP / Polaris/Newscom
Fact-checkers are defending Biden's recession wordplay. (Chris Kleponis - Pool via CNP/CNP / Polaris/Newscom)

Meta's third-party fact-checkers have flagged as "false information" posts on Instagram and Facebook accusing the Biden administration of changing the definition of a recession in order to deny that the U.S. economy has entered one. This is yet another reminder that the project of purportedly independent fact-checking on social media is a highly partisan one, in which legitimately debatable opinions are passed off as objective truth.

Last week, the White House published an online article disputing the standard definition of an economic recession: i.e., two consecutive fiscal quarters in which GDP growth was negative.

"Both official determinations of recessions and economists' assessment of economic activity are based on a holistic look at the data—including the labor market, consumer and business spending, industrial production, and incomes," wrote the White House. "Based on these data, it is unlikely that the decline in GDP in the first quarter of this year—even if followed by another GDP decline in the second quarter—indicates a recession."

This post has been widely shared—and in some cases, mocked—on social media. Graham Allen, an Instagram personality, posted a video reacting to the post in which he asked Siri to define the term recession. Siri's definition: two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth.

But Allen's video is currently obscured on Instagram; users can still watch it, but they first have to click past a disclaimer that it contains "false information reviewed by independent fact-checkers." A similar label has appeared on some Facebook posts that also take issue with the Biden administration's wordplay.

The fact-checker is Politifact, a fact-checking website run by the Poynter Institute. Politifact is an official third-party fact-checking apparatus for Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram. This means that PolitiFact is not like any ordinary website that offers a critique of a political narrative: PolitiFact's critiques are enforced by social media platforms.

In this instance, PolitiFact has rated as false the claim that "the White House is now trying to protect Joe Biden by changing the definition of the word recession." PolitiFact acknowledges that the Biden administration's efforts to spin current economic conditions as something other than a recession are political in nature. Nevertheless, the fact-checkers conclude that since the White House is citing the National Bureau of Economic Research's official definition, the administration is on solid footing.

Phil Magness, director of research and education at the American Institute for Economic Research, thinks PolitiFact is playing games.

"In this case, PolitiFact's 'ruling' is compounded by the fact that they have previously invoked the very same definition of a recession—2 consecutive quarters of GDP decline— in previous rulings to either provide cover to exaggerated Democratic claims about an impending recession or tear down Republican claims to the same effect," he tells Reason.

In a recent op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, Magness explained that the NBER is not the "official arbiter of recessions"; on the contrary, the federal government has often used the general definition preferred by most lay people, as well as Siri:

Mr. Biden's economic advisers are certainly free to make the case for a revised determination. The NBER takes a more holistic approach, in part because some recessionary events are shorter than two quarters or manifest in nonconsecutive quarters. But this rationale works against the White House's current argument, which seeks to delay acknowledging a recession even if a two-quarter decline is observed this year. The NBER committee has previously acknowledged recessions that fell short of a strict and sustained two-quarter contraction. This last happened during the 2000 dot-com bust, which played out in nonconsecutive quarterly drops.

While recognizing its limitations, the traditional definition of a recession provides a functional rule of thumb to interpret events as they unfold. The NBER determination is a rigorous and reputable historical indicator for dating the beginning and end of business-cycle troughs, but it isn't suitable for real-time policy determinations.

This is hardly the first time that the social media fact-checking industry has failed to add clarity to a contentious issue. Last year, PolitiFact rated as false the claim that COVID-19 is 99 percent survivable for most age groups.

"Experts say a person cannot determine their own chances at surviving COVID-19 by looking at national statistics, because the data doesn't take into account the person's own risks and COVID-19 deaths are believed to be undercounted," wrote PolitiFact.

Regardless of what "experts say," it is certainly the case that individual persons can estimate their likelihood of surviving COVD-19 based on national statistics. The disease's age discrimination is extreme: The overwhelming majority of young, healthy people are not at significant risk, especially when compared with elderly Americans. This was a curious fact-check, and it was hardly the first.

Science Feedback, another of Meta's fact-checking partners, wrongly labeled as false one of my own articles about the efficacy of mask mandates in schools. Not only was the fact-check incorrect, but it also introduced a new error: The fact-checker suggested that my article had erroneously claimed masks don't work to stop the spread of COVID-19 in schools. In actuality, my article had only asserted that there wasn't much compelling evidence that mask mandates had made a difference. (A year later, this distinction is moot, since even COVID-cautious public health officials now admit the cloth masks required in most schools do practically nothing to thwart the variants.) After I pointed out the mistake to Facebook, Science Feedback removed the "false information" label.

These are concerning mistakes. Media organizations routinely get things wrong, but the premise of fact-checkers was supposed to be that they are somehow above the fray, only weighing in when something can be proven or disproven quite definitively. Instead, they are often making dubious judgment calls on issues where reasonable disagreements exist.

"The fact-checking industry has become a partisan arbiter of political disputes, using claims of expertise that its writers do not actually possess to censor and shut down challenges to the political left," says Magness.

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NEXT: The Federal Student Loan Program Was Supposed To Pay for Itself. Now, It'll Cost Taxpayers $197 Billion

Robby Soave is a senior editor at Reason.

Free SpeechSocial MediaRecessionBiden AdministrationFacebookEconomicsEconomic GrowthCensorship
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  1. sarcasmic   3 years ago

    This story fucks up the narrative about leftist Reason. Move along. Nothing to see here.

    1. Don't look at me!   3 years ago

      Poor sarc.

      Hey sarc, why are no not convinced that GDP is a meaningful measurement? When did you come to this conclusion? Do you have a better idea?

      1. Entelechy   3 years ago

        We're just repairing the dictionary to fix the future of your language

        1. Nardz   3 years ago

          In this thread, chemjeff has a complete breakdown because the normalization of molesting young children is under threat.

          1. WorkStar24   3 years ago

            I made $30,030 in just 5 weeks working part-time right from my apartment. When I lost my last business I got tired right away and luckily I found this job online and with that I am able to start reaping lots right through my house. Anyone can achieve this top level career and make more money online by:-

            Reading this article:>>>> https://extradollars3.blogspot.com/

    2. JesseAz   3 years ago

      Can you show us the source you used showing GDP increasing? Or answer the questions you told people to ask you above?

      1. Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland   3 years ago

        Already told you q1*q2=positive

      2. sarcasmic   3 years ago

        Obsess much?

        1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

          It's a legit question.

          1. R Mac   3 years ago

            Sarc’s joined team Lying Jeffy. So he thinks lying his ass off all the time doesn’t deserve being called out.

      3. sarcasmic   3 years ago

        By the way, you're a real dirtbag for wanting the federal government to round up the homeless and put them in concentration camps.

        1. Don't look at me!   3 years ago

          What is your solution to the homeless problem?

        2. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

          Have you figured out the difference between internment and concentration camps and extermination camps yet?

          1. sarcasmic   3 years ago

            JesseAz said he wants Trump to round up the homeless, regardless of their criminal status, and put them into tent cities with armed guards. By "said" I mean he didn't say he opposes it which is the same thing. Then he started back peddling which is total proof.

            1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

              I know you imagine your being cute by strawmanning (have you looked that up yet?) and using false equivalence like you would a pregnant teenage stripper, but lies of omission are an actual thing, sarcasmic.

            2. Ted   3 years ago

              Sure he did. We believe you!

          2. sarcasmic   3 years ago

            Just like when you never said anything about doing science experiments on black people. That means you support it. Own up. Don't start back peddling.

            1. Don't look at me!   3 years ago

              Ideas!

              1. JesseAz   3 years ago

                He thinks he is being clever when all it is proving is what an obsessive liar he is lol.

              2. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

                I have mentioned the horrors of the Tuskegee Experiments many times here. I used them as examples of why blacks experience vaccine hesitancy regarding the mRNA jabs. In fact you were a participant one of the times.

                Do you have the memory of a goldfish, or are you deliberately being retarded?

                1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

                  For sarc of course.

                2. Ted   3 years ago

                  Sarc is drunk again.

                  1. VULGAR MADMAN   3 years ago

                    That would imply he is ever sober.

                    1. Ted   3 years ago

                      Sure he is. Like when his welfare check runs out before the end of the month. Then he’s a dry drunk until he gets his next check.

            2. SQRLSY One   3 years ago

              Mammary-Necrophilia-Fuhrer-Shemale has likewise NEVER condemned the tribal violence of Neanderthals against Cro-Magnons! That CLEARLY shows that Mammary-Necrophilia-Fuhrer-Shemale supports, even ADORES, Neanderthal against Cro-Magnon GENOCIDE, dammit!!! Beware, ALL decent humanoids!!! Man... Oooops, I mean, PEOPLE the barricades!!!

              1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

                Hi Sqrlsy! Greeble-dabble-doop grimp wop.

            3. R Mac   3 years ago

              Hey sarc, did you know Dave Smith is part of the Mises caucus?

              1. i   3 years ago

                ok

            4. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

              He also wants to throw drag queens into involuntary confinement at mental hospitals. He never said he didn't after all.

              1. R Mac   3 years ago

                Do you find it ironic that your pal sarc thought those of us that support the Mises caucus would hate Dave smith for calling Trump a war criminal because of his complete ignorance? Meanwhile you slandered the Mises caucus as racists?

                You two fucking idiots have gone so deep into your own bullshit that your statements and beliefs contradict each other yet you still support each other. It’s hilarious to watch. I wonder what ridiculous way this dynamic will play out next?

              2. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                I understand R Mac wants to do the same. They're a bunch of degenerate freaks trying to find any opportunity they can to have sex with children, right? So it is totally believable that R Mac wants to lock up drag queens in mental hospitals and throw away the key. At least I have never seen him say he didn't want to.

                1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

                  There's no sophistry like chemjeff sophistry.

                  Here poor sarc was giving all he had, but Jeffy steps in to show him exactly how it's done.

                  1. Nardz   3 years ago

                    Chemjeff is a Stalinist pedophile who's throwing a tantrum because people are pushing back against tools that would increase his opportunity to molest prepubescent children

                    1. Ted   3 years ago

                      He’s too scared to take the chance. He needs democrat thugs to protect him while he rapes small boys. Probably four people just to hold down a toddler’s limbs so he can work up the courage.

                    2. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                      Fuck you, you are both disgusting.

                    3. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                      Why do you hate transgendered people?
                      Why do you hate LGBTQ people?
                      Why do you insist on declaring any mention of the word "gay" to kids constitutes GROOMING?
                      Why do you think your enforced rigid gender roles should be taught in schools?

                    4. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

                      You're mixed up, Jeff. Everyone hates YOU.

                    5. Chuck P. (The Artist formerly known as CTSP)   3 years ago

                      Why do you think your enforced rigid gender roles should be taught in schools?

                      How about because biological science dictates teaching that it takes men and women to procreate. The entirety of human history supports it.

                      Why do you think your enforced undefined gender roles should be taught in schools? Why teach abnormal psychology to children?

                2. Dariush   3 years ago

                  Only lock them up if, you know, they actually groom and molest children. Why is it so scandalous that people are rejecting sexually deviant behavior aimed at grooming children and ripping apart the fabric of our society?

                  Is this what your Libertopia entails? A bunch of perverted kiddie fuckers being exalted to the highest status in our society? Out of all the hills to die on you pick this one to own JesseAz and R Mac.

                  You are never going to get the stink of pedophile sympathizer out of your fat, stupid and arrogant ass on this site. Ace would be proud lol.

                  1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                    Is this what your Libertopia entails? A bunch of perverted kiddie fuckers being exalted to the highest status in our society?

                    As it pertains to this discussion, who exactly has fucked any kiddies?

                    Are you ASSUMING that a drag queen automatically is a kiddie fucker?

                    Why is it so scandalous that people are rejecting sexually deviant behavior aimed at grooming children and ripping apart the fabric of our society?

                    LOL "ripping apart the fabric of our society". You do realize of course that the society whose fabric is supposedly "ripped apart" by the presence of drag queens, is ALSO the same society which invited drag queens into that Miami restaurant in the first place?

                    Did that EVER occur to you? That you and your right-wing pals do NOT define what constitutes "the fabric of society" or whether it has been ripped asunder?

                    1. Ted   3 years ago

                      Why is it so important to you to inflict trannies on small children? Or groom children in schools?

                    2. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                      Why are you so upset with drag queens reading books to kids? Because they're perverts? Because they're pedophiles? Is that what you think?

                    3. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

                      "Why are you so upset with drag queens reading books to kids?"

                      "Reading"

                      https://thepostmillennial.com/drag-queen-flashes-young-children-at-drag-queen-story-hour

                      You knew this story... You really are a groomer, aren't you.

                  2. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                    You don't like it that scantily-clad drag queens are interacting with children at Miami restaurants. I get it. I completely understand why that would be upsetting to lots of people. I completely understand why many parents would refuse to take their kids to a restaurant like that.

                    But that is different whether the practice should be ILLEGAL.

                    Were the kids harmed in a manner inconsistent with the NAP? Were they sexually assaulted? Were they even psychologically harmed in some objective provable way? If and only if any of those questions are yes, that is when the practice ought to be considered illegal. If not, then the practice should be legal, like downloading porn or starting a heroin habit.

                    1. Ted   3 years ago

                      Small children need to be kept away from this kind of sick shit. And you’re desperate to inflict it on them. The only logical reason for that is you want the freedom to groom children to satisfy your u holy lust for them.

                      Otherwise, there is no rational reason to allow any of it.

                  3. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                    And by the way. I note your complete lack of objection to the idea that drag queens should be forcibly locked up in mental hospitals against their will. I mean, you *said* that drag queens should be locked up only if they "groom" children. But we both know your definition of "grooming" is "a drag queen being present within 10 miles of a child".

                    1. R Mac   3 years ago

                      "a drag queen being present within 10 miles of a child".

                      One of the many different ways Lying Jeffy is dishonest is he’ll use quotes when attributing statements to people that they never said. He does this a lot, you’ll notice.

                    2. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

                      That's because when he's honest he loses.

                      Another favorite trick of Jeff's is to reword or redefine other peoples statements to suit the answer he wants to give.

                    3. Ted   3 years ago

                      He likely has a dog eared copy of books like ‘Rules for Radicals’ at home. He’s a leftist shitweasel propagandist.

                  4. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                    Because we both know a drag queen is "grooming" children if the drag queen is simply reading children's books to kids. Isn't that what got Sohrab Ahmari so upset? No strip teases, no pasties, none of that. Just them reading children's books to kids is a horrible outrage and "ripping apart the fabric of society".

                    So even if you don't want them locked up against their will, you definitely want them treated by society at large as if they were freaks, weirdos, and degenerate perverts. Maybe they aren't technically pedophiles, but they're just one small step away from pedophilia, at least as far as public opinion is concerned, isn't that what you want?

                    So that is what I object to - the insinuation that just because someone chooses to act differently from their prescribed gender role, that that alone makes them not merely freaks, but degenerate perverted filth. You want acceptance of rigid gender roles - men wear neckties and women wear high heels, and that's that, and people who don't agree are probably sexual sickos who are bad for kids. That is what I object to. They are not perverts or pedophiles. They are just people who act differently.

                    Of course ANY actual pedophile, REGARDLESS if they are drag queens or not, should face severe legal consequences for that. Because it really is a despicable crime.

                    But BECAUSE pedophilia is such a despicable crime, the charge should not be thrown about lightly.

                    1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

                      "Because we both know a drag queen is "grooming" children if the drag queen is simply reading children's books to kids. Isn't that what got Sohrab Ahmari so upset? No strip teases, no pasties, none of that."

                      You're such a creepy fucking liar:

                      https://thepostmillennial.com/drag-queen-flashes-young-children-at-drag-queen-story-hour

                    2. Chuck P. (The Artist formerly known as CTSP)   3 years ago

                      Dressing up as a drag queen is ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR. Just because a slightly larger population that does not exhibit the behavior finds it entertaining does not make it less abnormal. If you don't understand that, you are an idiot. Gradually exposing children to abnormal behavior until they no can no longer perceive that it is abnormal is the very definition of psychological grooming. It is a classic pedophile behavioral trait.

                      I don't believe you are an idiot, jeffy. I believe that you find psychological grooming to be an acceptable way to normalize the abnormal.

                3. R Mac   3 years ago

                  How could you see me say that if you have me on mute dumbfuck?

              3. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                And really, why wouldn't any wholesome patriotic American want to lock up drag queens? When they aren't trying to do a striptease in front of toddlers, they are trying to recruit them into becoming degenerate perverted filth like they are. What possible reason could there be for letting drag queens retain their liberty? They aren't going to use it for anything constructive. Even if they are banned from ever interacting with children, their very presence degenerates society. Better to be rid of them all.

                1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

                  Yeah folks, he's actually trying to pretend that the issue isn't with men sexualizing, sexually assaulting or maiming kids, but simple drag shows.

                  We don't call him Lying Jeffy for nothing.

                2. Ted   3 years ago

                  Another Pedo Jeffy strawman. You’re playing the victim while you advocate for grooming five year old children.

                3. damikesc   3 years ago

                  Your obsession with drag queens is more than mildly creepy.

            5. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

              It totally wouldn't surprise me if ML wanted to go full Mengele on black people.

              1. R Mac   3 years ago

                Going the Brandyshit route of just calling everyone racist now? Hmm, who else just calls people racist with no basis? Oh yeah, leftists.

                You know, despite your repeated claims you’re not a leftist, you sure do act like one.

              2. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                Hey, is that R Mac hopping on board the Mengele Train here?

                1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                  Good to know that ML is totally on board with Mengele-style experiments on black people.

                2. R Mac   3 years ago

                  Lying Jeffy makes himself look extra stupid responding to people he has muted.

                  Keep calling people racist with no basis like a good lefty.

              3. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

                Too bad, you guys already did Jeffy.
                Thomas Parran, Raymond Vonderlehr, Eugene Dibble and Oliver Wenger of the Tuskegee Experiment were all Democrats.

                Also, since you're a fat white blimp and I'm Metis I find your pulling the race card particularly humorous.

              4. Ted   3 years ago

                It wouldn’t surprised me if you and Buttplug opened a daycare together. With you wearing the gimp suit.

              5. DesigNate   3 years ago

                You do know we can remember two years ago where you defended forced vaccination as long as it was private companies doing it right?

                Only a handful of people here supported experimenting on black and brown people and none of them were the people you argue with.

                1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                  Private companies CAN'T "force" vaccinations. An individual always has a choice whether or not to do business with a private company. If an individual doesn't want to abide by the company's rules, the individual doesn't have to do business there.

                  But hey what is your take. That individuals lose their full property rights once they start to go into business? Because Team Blue certainly believes in that proposition.

              6. Ted   3 years ago

                It wouldn’t surprise me if Jeffy wanted to go full Polanski on five year old children.

                1. VULGAR MADMAN   3 years ago

                  That’s a safe bet.

          3. i   3 years ago

            kokpokm o uj ju

        3. NOYB2   3 years ago

          Well, we could simply lock them up in prison for vagrancy and then dump them outside city limits, like we used to do. Would you prefer that?

      4. CE   3 years ago

        Congress keeps spending more and it goes straight to GDP.

      5. Sebastian Cremmington   3 years ago

        2.6% GDP growth is the greatest in history…as long as the president is a white. 😉

    3. Marshal   3 years ago

      The key to understanding sarc is recognizing that every statement, even those critical of the left without mentioning the right, is a reason to attack the right. This is what centrism means to him.

    4. mekar77   3 years ago

      Slot Gacor Online Terpercaya Di Indonesia

      https://mekar77situsgacor.com

  2. OpenBordersLiberal-tarian   3 years ago

    This is the strongest economy ever. Inflation is a wingnut.com myth. Recession is a wingnut.com myth. GDP mattered in 2020 but is irrelevant now. I'm a successful liberal capitalist. Trust me. Trust Mark Zuckerberg.

    #TemporarilyFillingInForButtplug

    1. Unicorn Abattoir   3 years ago

      So you're where a buttplug should be? Hey, you be you, OBL.

  3. Fist of Etiquette   3 years ago

    I'm beginning to suspect that there might be a new definition for the word independent.

    1. The Margrave of Azilia   3 years ago

      See also peace, freedom and strength

      1. Ted   3 years ago

        Your only freedoms are the chains of socialism which bind us all.

        1. Stuck in California   3 years ago

          In the past you had freedom to. Now it's much better, you have freedom from.

      2. JimboJr   3 years ago

        and add to that science and evidence

    2. JesseAz   3 years ago

      Or the word facts.

    3. Diane Reynolds (Paul.)   3 years ago

      Transdependent.

  4. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

    "The fact-checking industry has become a partisan arbiter of political disputes,"

    Look, since the dawn of time, for most people "facts" have been emotional beliefs. For a brief period of time, we had some professional aspirations, even in media, for facts as objective truth.

    Now we have regressed so that everyone, including those who pass for respected reporters, have gone back to feelings as facts. And that applies double to those who declare themselves fact "checkers".

    1. Marshal   3 years ago

      Now we have regressed so that everyone, including those who pass for respected reporters, have gone back to feelings as facts.

      This wasn't some accident. The left rejects facts because they don't lead where the left wants to go. When reality conflicts with their worldview they believe reality must be wrong.

    2. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

      Now we have regressed so that everyone, including those who pass for respected reporters, have gone back to feelings as facts.

      Does that include you?

      1. R Mac   3 years ago

        Lying Jeffy is back to trying for his big gotcha moment!

      2. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

        It doesn't include you, Jeffy, because you never used facts in the first place.

      3. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

        Oh that most definitely includes R Mac and ML and Jesse.

        1. Nardz   3 years ago

          ^this is what a child molester whose access to children is getting cut off looks like

          1. Ted   3 years ago

            I wonder if Jeffy is already a registered sex offender? It might explain why he never ever leaves details about his life.

  5. Bill Dalasio   3 years ago

    Did I call it or what?

    In the meantime, anyone suggesting that we are, in fact, in a recession will be branded a kulak, a hoarder and a wrecker.

    1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

      You did.

    2. In Canis Credimus   3 years ago

      Facebook is a private company and they can do what they want. Seems like most commenters here are calling for action against a company that is doing what is well within its rights. Some real libertarians we got over here boys. Real stand up dudes. Lmfao.

      1. block30   3 years ago

        They’re aiding and abetting the top levels of government outright lie to its own people.

      2. markm23   3 years ago

        Politifact is falsely calling conservative posters liars. That's libel, but I suspect that if a hundred people successfully sued them, it would turn out that Politifact is bankrupt and all the people involved would just move on to a new corporate front.

        OTOH, Facebook is not judgment proof, but they claim the protection of section 230. If they just let Politifact post their libels on the same level as the posts they libel, Facebook would clearly be shielded. But IMHO, when they arrange to hide the targeted posts behind Politifact's posts, they become traditional publishers of Politifact's posts and should be liable.

      3. Truthfulness   3 years ago

        https://reason.com/2021/07/21/biden-is-trying-to-impose-online-censorship-by-proxy/

        Government admitted to working with Facebook at censoring posts. So much for being the "private company" you claim them to be.

  6. Dillinger   3 years ago

    15 years ago I would at least listen to the laundry list of excuses for why everyone needed a fakebook page, but it's now past the time mankind needs Meta for anything

    1. In Canis Credimus   3 years ago

      Yet people still keep using it and not giving a fuck what you think about it lol. Go join that bunch of winners like Gaetz, Green, and Chump over on Truth social lmfao

      1. Truthfulness   3 years ago

        And which one is doing censorship by proxy in conjunction with the government? Facebook.

  7. Eeyore   3 years ago

    How is this not an illegal campaign contribution?

    1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

      "Because fuck you, that's why."

      It's not like anyone has the balls to stop them and a complicit media will keep it buried.

      1. Eeyore   3 years ago

        I feel fucked.

        1. kcuch   3 years ago

          It isn't a feeling; we are.

    2. Vernon Depner   3 years ago

      And the Jan 6 "hearings" should be considered campaign expenditures.

  8. Eeyore   3 years ago

    Saying, "0% of women have a penis" on Facebook will get your comment flagged or your account locked.

    1. Longtobefree   3 years ago

      Never had any social media accounts; where do they stand on the sun rising in the east, and on the flat earth theory?

      1. CE   3 years ago

        The flat Earth theory is Mostly False.
        The sun rising in the east Lacks Context.

        1. JesseAz   3 years ago

          Well per post modernism both flat and east are subjective terms. So neither is a fact.

          1. Eeyore   3 years ago

            East identifies as South.

          2. kcuch   3 years ago

            both flat and east are subjective terms and White Supremacy dog whistles

      2. Eeyore   3 years ago

        Posting flat earth links with also get you banned. Cracking down on something nobody takes seriously is so stupid.

        1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

          But I can post "Scholars in Medieval times thought that the world was flat" and it wouldn't get deleted, even though it's also a lie.

          They're very selective in their censorship.

          1. soldiermedic76   3 years ago

            One of the biggest myths that continues to get repeated even by so called respected scholars. No, the ancient Greeks accurately calculated the circumference of the Earth. Columbus was ignored, because most navigators knew the Earth was 25,000+ miles in circumference and that a wooden sailing ship could not sail west and hold enough provisions to reach Asia. Columbus believes the earth was only 19,000 miles in circumference. Columbus was wrong but got lucky that there were two huge land masses others (outside of Scandinavia, especially Iceland, Irish, Scottish and English, Basque and Dutch fisherman) didn't know existed. Otherwise he would have died because of his mistake. As it was he was desperately short of food and water, with increasing rates of scurvy amongst his crew when he finally reached the Caribbean. So, in essence Columbus got fucking lucky. But kids still get taught that he proved the world was round when everyone else thought it was flat.

  9. DRM   3 years ago

    The key issue is that people look at the words "fact-checker" and imagine that their purpose is to check things for accordance with the facts.

    The actual purpose of a fact-checker is to serve as a check on the facts themselves, restraining or diminishing the action or force of the truth.

    It's all part of the MSM propaganda machine mission to speak power to truth, to comfort the comfortable and to afflict the afflicted.

    1. CE   3 years ago

      Fact checkers employed by the news media used to check facts by looking them up in the encyclopedia. Now they spend most of their time explaining why up is actually down. And rewriting the encyclopedia and the dictionary as needed.

      1. DRM   3 years ago

        Internal-facing fact-checking operations exist to check for factual accuracy. They mostly don't exist anymore.

        External fact-checking operations exist to keep the facts in check. They are all over the place.

      2. Jazzizhep   3 years ago

        My favorite is the 2,000 word explanation of AOC’s comment that unemployment is low because people have two jobs. They went into how complicated it was to determine who was officially in the workforce.

        No, it’s not that complicated. If 10 people are in the workforce and 5 have jobs, the unemployment rate 50% regardless of how many jobs the working individuals have. 50% are not working.

    2. Oafish   3 years ago

      Just shows why the fact check industry is problematic, IMO. People are biased, subject to group think, confirmation bias, and work in a echo chamber. Better to let ideas live and die in the sun.

  10. Joe Friday   3 years ago

    Meanwhile:

    Andrew Sullivan:

    "Now we’re talking.

    The entire promise and rationale of a Biden presidency was not, I hate to break it to my lefty friends, a total transformation of the country in favor of green energy and “social justice.” It was a return to constitutional normalcy, and the kind of legislative deal-making that offers gradual progress on the biggest challenges of the day.

    We wanted a better rollout of vaccines, competent economic management of the bust-and-boom cycle of the pandemic, progress on the urgent question of climate change, and responsibility again on the world stage. Biden gets a B on the first, a C- on the second, a B+ on climate, and a solid B in foreign policy.

    That B+ on the climate depends of course on whether the Schumer-Manchin deal struck this week can get to the president’s desk. It looks like it can, if Senator Sinema doesn’t blow it up, and some geezers can recover from Covid quickly enough. And it represents what a Biden presidency promised to a center-right voter like me...."

    Fareed Zakariah:

    "Is it possible that, despite all the partisan noise and expert disbelief, Joe Biden is actually managing to do something he promised during his campaign: govern from the center?

    The evidence is piling up. If the compromise hammered out on Wednesday between Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) passes, it will be the largest investment in climate change ever made by the federal government while also being the largest deficit reduction package in a decade.

    The deal comes on top of the Chips and Science Act, which will make massive investments in basic research and critical technologies. That followed the first bipartisan gun control legislation passed in a generation. And that was preceded by a trillion-dollar infrastructure bill that had been one of Donald Trump’s signature campaign promises.

    Governing from the center in today’s world looks a lot different than it did in the past. When Congress came together in the 1980s and ’90s to pass big bipartisan bills saving Social Security, reforming taxes, helping Americans with disabilities and reducing air pollution, the authors of the bills were often lionized in the media and within their own parties.

    Today, the incentive in Congress is to never compromise. Holding out against the other party, which is regarded not as the opposition but as the enemy, is a badge of honor. That is what allows you to fundraise from the most radical elements on your side of the spectrum. One big bipartisan effort to address immigration reform stalled in the early 2000s, viciously attacked by the extremes of both parties.

    In trying to revive that old model of governing, Biden is fighting against the tide. But surprisingly, in small but significant ways, he is winning. If more bipartisan bills get passed and if legislators don’t get punished for working across party lines — even get rewarded for it — that might begin to shift some of the incentives and reduce the toxicity in Washington.

    For Democrats, there is a real potential upside here. They are better positioned than Republicans to become a big-tent party. As a notable Brookings study showed, in 2020, “Biden’s victory came from the suburbs,” and those voters are presumably more moderate and centrist than, say, the Democrats’ base. Suburban voters seem to be increasingly turned off by Republican positions on issues such as abortion and guns. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, the generic congressional ballot has moved from favoring Republicans to being essentially a tie.

    Being a big-tent party is hard. It does mean holding coalitions together, including people with whom you profoundly disagree. But in a large, diverse country of more than 330 million people, it is the only way to gain working majorities. Some of the greatest Democratic accomplishments have taken place in that spirit...."

    1. Square = Circle   3 years ago

      That B+ on the climate depends of course on whether the Schumer-Manchin deal struck this week can get to the president’s desk.

      And what exactly does that bill accomplish vis a vis the climate? Other than that it has the word "climate" in the name along with "healthcare" and "inflation."

      I expect the next iteration will add in "and Save the Children!"

      1. JimboJr   3 years ago

        and importantly, being that its govt, will spend a lot of money fucking it all up

      2. Marshal   3 years ago

        It's the nature of left wingers to claim success based on spending money. They understand their policies will never achieve tangible results so they hype the resources wasted instead. Any focus on results would be to accept inevitable failure.

        1. Nardz   3 years ago

          Leftism is hatred of the real, and insistence on fantasy instead

          1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

            Leftism is hatred of the real, and insistence on fantasy instead

            So because you indulge in ridiculous fantasy conspiracy theories, that means you're a leftist?

            1. Oafish   3 years ago

              Sigh. Jeff, I used to love your posts just reading from the outside and choosing not to comment on the flame wars. I block so many I only get a couple posts to avoid the name calling and childless responses. Do I need to block you now too?

              1. Ted   3 years ago

                I would imagine so.

            2. Ted   3 years ago

              No, he isn’t a leftist. You are. You’re also a pedophile.

              How long have you been a registered sex offender? Are you even supposed to be on the internet?

    2. JesseAz   3 years ago

      Democrats defend and applaud other democrats even in failure. Is that the point youre making?

    3. Don't look at me!   3 years ago

      Suck that government dick a little more.

    4. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

      Fascists going to fascist.
      I'd be shocked if those two establishment men didn't regurgitate DNC talking points.

      What's next? Quotes from Max Boot and Bill Kristol?

      1. Outlaw Josey Wales   3 years ago

        Matthew Yglesias.

    5. CE   3 years ago

      yeah, 2022 definitely feels like a return to normalcy....

    6. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

      Part of me thinks that Biden is totally okay with Democrats losing control of Congress, because then he can safely ignore the dingbats in his own party and he can strike grand bipartisan compromises.

      Of course this Joe Biden probably thinks the Republicans are the same as they were in the 1990s/2000s, and they wouldn't instead immediately try to impeach him instead.

      1. R Mac   3 years ago

        Lefty Jeffy thinks Biden is coherent. And hopes for compromise so that part of his agenda can get accomplished. And is now against impeachment!

        He’s almost getting boring to mock. Almost.

      2. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

        Part of me thinks that Biden is kept animated only because Jill made a deal with a Jinn.

        Your boy ain't right, Jeff.

      3. Ted   3 years ago

        Biden is primarily focused on ice cream and pudding. Like you.

        1. Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf   3 years ago

          And hair.

      4. damikesc   3 years ago

        The GOP is more to the Left now than in 90's-2000's.

        Will they try to impeach him, it was a tradition Dems started.

    7. Oafish   3 years ago

      Amazing how few libertarians are on this site.

      1. J555   3 years ago

        It's not a libertarian site, it's a reliable state mouthpiece. Why should there be any large number of libertarians on it?

  11. Jonathan Bowen   3 years ago

    Mistakes? No.

  12. Bill Dalasio   3 years ago

    These are concerning mistakes.

    Oh, FFS, Robby! They're not "mistakes". They're political hatchet jobs. If they were mistakes, you'd see errors favoring the right just as commonly as you see errors favoring the left. You don't.

    I understand you don't like the implications of that situation. It strongly suggests that large parts of the media are nothing more than unalloyed propagandists and the social media companies that rely on them as arbiters of truth are completely in on the propaganda campaign. And, honestly, there are no really obvious and appealing libertarian answers for that. But, generally seem like an honest guy. Don't let not liking the implications of a fact blind you to that fact.

    1. JesseAz   3 years ago

      You'd think he would have learned when they censored him. But no.

    2. Nardz   3 years ago

      Robby is not honest, and is part of that media.
      He plays a role in support of globalist totalitarianism.

  13. Jerryskids   3 years ago

    BREAKING NEWS: Robby has a suspicion that media fact-checkers are partisan hacks for the DNC narrative du jour. Nobody tell him about Pravda or Izvestia, let's see if he can figure that one out on his own.

  14. Dismalist   3 years ago

    Strangely, the White House is correct on the details [].

    Definitions are never right or wrong, just more or less useful. The National Bureau of Economic Research dates business cycles, because they want to. The dating methods stem from the 1930's. They "look at a lot of data" and do it retrospectively.

    It has turned out that two successive quarters of negative GDP growth correlates well with what the NBER is doing, but not perfectly. The two quarter rule is a rule of thumb, nothing more.

    More generally, what we have here is an exercise in rhetoric, not an attempt to analyze fundamental economic conditions.

    1. creech   3 years ago

      A recession is when you notice your neighbor lost his job and can't find a new one. A depression is when you lose your job and can't find a new one.

      1. rbike   3 years ago

        A recovery is when Joe Biden loses his job?

      2. JesseAz   3 years ago

        Man. How many depressions has sarc been through? Knew he was old. But damn.

      3. Nelson   3 years ago

        Unemployment isn't a problem. Compa ies are still desperate for workers.

        Even a recession (yes, spindoctors and White House apologists, it is a recession) isn't a terrible thing if it counteracts inflation and has a brief duration.

        Spending more money will fuck everything up even more. Recession counteracts inflation, but government spending (especially deficit spending) inflames it.

        None of this is a secret. None of it is controversial or unproven. For the love of God, stop with the spin, acknowledge the reality, and balance the fucking budget.

        Is it too much to ask that we follow the adage, "when you find yourself in a hole, the first step is to stop digging"?

        Stop. Fucking. Spending. So. Much. Fucking. Money!

        1. Ted   3 years ago

          Nothing you democrats are doing will counteract inflation. Your kind are about to pass a bill that add another $ 800 billion to the debt.

    2. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

      Nice attempt, but no.

      The two quarter rule is the definition you'll find in every economics textbook ever, not merely a rule of thumb.

      The American NBER's characterization is irrelevant to a definition used throughout the Anglosphere.

      1. Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf   3 years ago

        Interestingly enough, by pure coincidence, wikipedia has changed the definition of recession and locked the page against further edits.

      2. Nelson   3 years ago

        THIS!

        I don't agree with Mother on cultural issues, but she is 100% right about this.

      3. soldiermedic76   3 years ago

        The NBER is a backwards looking tool, not meant for real world predictions. It's always a lagging indicator, usually by at least six months. Using it in real time is the definition of absurdity because it isn't designed for that. Employment numbers are always a lagging indicator and current low unemployment and tight job market is really the fact that 4 million working age adults have not returned to the job market after the plandemic, however, in 2019 only 12% of households reported that one or more adult in the household was looking for work and couldn't find it, today that number is 41%, which really brings up the question of how accurate the unemployment numbers are. Additionally, retail stores are having difficulty moving inventory, Meta is laying off, Amazon is laying off (100,000 workers), car repossessions are up, evictions are on the rise, housing is contracting, the misery index is higher than in 2010. All of these things indicate that yes we're in a recession, and the NBER will be looking at these dates, but their analysis will be lagging by 6 or more months, which means the NBER is worth shit. I expect that the lay offs at Amazon are the tip of the iceberg. Almost all retail growth has been exclusively the result of increased prices for the past three months, however volume is way down. Walmart and Target also are reporting declines in foot traffic. The biggest driver of recent moderate gas declines is because people have stopped all non-essential driving, which means prices are likely stabilized at current prices and any shock will send them sky rocketing again. A hurricane or storm hitting a refinery, shutting down east coast pipelines, a war in the Middle East, a terrorist attack etc, and hold on to your wallets. Additionally, because of Biden's stupidity regarding the strategic oil reserve, we have far less options to address a real emergency now.

    3. Truthfulness   3 years ago

      Definitions are never right or wrong

      That just isn't the truth. That kind of thinking leads to faulty claims like saying bees are fish--which is precisely what California did. This relativistic thought needs to go away.

  15. Diane Reynolds (Paul.)   3 years ago

    "The fact-checking industry has become a partisan arbiter of political disputes," notes Phil Magness.

    Has become... has become.

    Phil Magness, director of research and education at the American Institute for Economic Research, thinks PolitiFact is playing games.

    Wow, this Phil Magness guy has got a sharp eye. He smells a rat with Politifact. Stay frosty when you're around Phil Magness, because this guy gets it.

    1. Gaear Grimsrud   3 years ago

      Probably a few million people sitting in trailer parks with a Windows 7 laptop figured this out six years ago. But this guy gets it.

  16. TJJ2000   3 years ago

    Do some homework... You'll find 'journalism' grants and 'research' grants SUBSIDIZE these companies and/or their employ...

    It's Gov-Media 101.
    Heck; Even reason made a single article about 'journalist' subsidies.

  17. TJJ2000   3 years ago

    Obama: ‘Google, Facebook Would Not Exist’ Without Government Funding
    https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/obama-google-facebook-would-not-exist-without-government-funding

  18. JimboJr   3 years ago

    Jeff and Mike:

    "What ministry of truth?!"

  19. Longtobefree   3 years ago

    Every time I read shit like this, I see Goebbels grinning through the flames

    1. soldiermedic76   3 years ago

      Goebbels was a piker, the NKVD was far more effective.

  20. CE   3 years ago

    The fact checking "industry" mainly exists to explain why posts and articles that debunk the established narrative are "mostly false" and why laughably thin claims in support of the established narrative are "mostly true".

  21. Gaear Grimsrud   3 years ago

    Your boy Robbie. Eat shit.

  22. A Thinking Mind   3 years ago

    Nothing to worry about, citizens! Your concerns will be assuaged: we're announcing a new initiative to fact-check the fact-checkers. We will work with them to make sure all facts are maximally factual.

    1. Seamus   3 years ago

      "We apologise for the fault in the subtitles. Those responsible have been sacked."

      "Mynd you, m00se bites Kan be pretty nasti ..."

      "We apologise again for the fault in the subtitles. Those responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked have been sacked."

      1. Jazzizhep   3 years ago

        And now for something completely different…

  23. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

    "the White House is now trying to protect Joe Biden by changing the definition of the word recession."

    Okay, Reason commenters: is this claim true or false? And show your work.

    1. Marshal   3 years ago

      Whoever could have guessed jeffy would come out in favor of changing definitions to whatever they need to be to help Democrats?

      1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

        Is that particular claim true or false, and why?

        1. Ted   3 years ago

          It’s true because they’re trying to say the accepted definition of the word isn’t the definition of the word. How does this elude you?

          1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

            What is the official definition of the word recession?
            Has Joe Biden changed that definition?
            Is he attempting to change that definition?

            1. Nelson   3 years ago

              1) Two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth.
              2) No, but not for lack of trying. It turns out when a term has been used one way for decades, pretending it means something else makes you look foolish.
              3) Yes.

              1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                1) No that's not the official definition and that is kind of the point here. "Two consecutive quarters of declining GDP" is a commonly accepted definition. It is a colloquial understanding of the term. But it is not THE official definition.
                2) I agree with you here.
                3) He's not attempting to change THE definition. He is trying to argue that he should be held to a different standard.

                So the point here was to show that Politifact really isn't incorrect here. They are being overly pedantic, they are giving Biden a little too much the benefit of the doubt. But they aren't wrong in saying that Joe Biden isn't trying to change the OFFICIAL definition of "recession". That's my point.

                1. Ted   3 years ago

                  We’re in a recession.

                  Case closed.

                2. Inquisitive Squirrel   3 years ago

                  Jesus. Watching anti-intellectual tribal morons like you defend the actions of the WH to obfuscate by changing the definition of words is fucking jaw dropping at this point.

                  Please tell me you at least get paid for being such a moronic fucking lackey.

                3. Seamus   3 years ago

                  Whaddaya mean, "official" definition of recession. Is there a Federal Office of Recessions that has the authority to define recessions?

      2. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

        Chemleft next month:

        "I admire the quiet courage of Biden’s negative growth economy. In an era of environmental degradation caused by unchecked growth he had the courage to pump the brakes"

        1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

          Also from chemjeffville:

          The Silver Linings of a Recession
          "Lower inflation and greener energy are worth the price of a short downturn"

          1. Ted   3 years ago

            I’ll weather Biden’s economic collapse by harvesting the organs of the healthier looking progs.

    2. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

      Bill Clinton defining 'Recession' as 'Two quarters in a row of negative growth.

      https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1552767281981231104

      Nancy Pelosi in July 2008: The “technical definition of recession” is two quarters of negative growth

      https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1553009093165686790

      1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

        Hahahaha...

        "Yeah I did a bad tweet a while ago referring to two negative q’s in a row as a recession. Should have known better at the time but it had been a while since I’d studied recession criteria and that’s not it. Nothing to do with giving Biden any kind of break. Just accurate now"

        https://twitter.com/morningmoneyben/status/1552817548248375302

        1. Ted   3 years ago

          They truly have no shame.

        2. Tony   3 years ago

          You didn't have a working definition of a recession until one was shoved into your ear holes by a fucking pundit.

          1. Ted   3 years ago

            No faggot. You see, unlike you, we all have real educations. Not some worthless sociology degree and a head filled with democrat bullshit and a list of the best places to buy giant dildoes.

            Now fuck off.

          2. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

            Everyone had a working definition of a recession until your bosses changed it last week, shill.

          3. soldiermedic76   3 years ago

            4 million less warming age adults in the workforce than in 2019. Increasing household debt, to levels not seen since 2008, misery index the highest in over a decade, retailers saying they can't sell inventory, 41% of households reporting one or more worker in their household is looking for work and can't find it (makes you wonder about that 3.6% unemployment number doesn't it), car repossessions sky rocketing, evictions increasing, Amazon and Meta both laying off (first time ever for Amazon, 100,000 workers), bear market, two quarters of negative growth, the past three months almost all increase in consumer spending is exclusively due to inflated spending, while volume has gone down significantly, Walmart and Target reporting decreased foot traffic when usually they see increases as people prepare to go back to school, more people reporting canceling all non-essential travel, decreasing subscriptions to streaming services (people cutting unnecessary spending by canceling subscriptions), gas prices >$2/gal higher than a year ago, 58% of Americans now feel the country is in a recession, almost 70% rate the economy as poor or worse, the majority report they are having trouble with paying bills, new and used car sales slumping. All show we are in a recession rather you want to admit it or not.

    3. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

      Since I am an expert mind-reader now, I am going to predict that ML Is changing the subject while not actually answering the question.

      Am I close?

      1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

        Nope. I gave you quotes direct from your bosses.

        It's really humorous how you try and fantasize about my posts, even though everyone else can read them.

      2. Paulson52   3 years ago

        He's making you look silly to be honest.

        1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

          The only person ML makes look silly is himself when he will not ever admit he's wrong and just digs in deeper and deeper, resorting to hysteria and fallacies and finally shrieks of "but you're a Nazi!" at the end.

          1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

            But you are a Nazi, Jeff.
            From economics and racial theory to Aktion T4 you duplicate them effortlessly.

          2. Ted   3 years ago

            No, he makes you look silly. The only people that are going to be on board with you are Sarc, who is an incoherent drunk, and Buttplug, who like raping children even more than you. Those are your pals here.

            Everyone else despises you and thinks of you as a punchline to a really bad joke. So,e thing to be slapped around when it makes another unfortunate appearance. I suspect this is how you entire life works. Do people regularly slap you around? Doesn’t matter, as even people too polite to do so hate, and are revolted by you.

            If you find this upsetting, feel free to dive into your industrial sized drum of Ben & Jerry’s. Or just cut to the chase and drink a bottle of Drano.

            Deep down, you know you really want to.

        2. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

          And let's not forget that ML is in favor of mutilating black babies for purposes of organ harvesting. I mean he's never said that he is opposed to it, that means he must be in favor of it. And he might now try to deny it, but we all know that just means he's backpedaling. He really is a disgusting person.

          1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

            I've talked here about Planned Parenthood selling aborted babyparts, and 45% of aborted children are black.

            (Supported by Democrats like you, BTW.)

            So yeah, I've condemned mutilating black babies for purposes of organ harvesting. In fact I think I argued about it with you who supported PP and thought the whole thing was a-okay.

            If you could only remember your own bullshit Jeff, you wouldn't beclown yourself like this.

          2. Inquisitive Squirrel   3 years ago

            You do realize when you have to lie this much that you may want to reassess the positions you are taking.

            1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

              I'm pointing out that Jesse, and ML, and a bunch of others, routinely employ the standard of lying about other people's views, demanding that they defend those lies, and then claiming that denials equal backpedaling. They are just shameless.

              How do you have an honest conversation with anyone like that?

              1. Inquisitive Squirrel   3 years ago

                I know you have adopted Sarc's schtick. But it doesn't make the point you think it does. And when you use it to deflect and avoid the argument, it just looks pathetic. And that's exactly what you did here.

                So the irony is, they all were making valid arguments, you then employed a tactic of making a non-valid argument because you apparently hate non-valid arguments, only to be the one actually doing that to avoid the valid arguments.

        3. DesigNate   3 years ago

          It’s not hard….

    4. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

      Just answer the question. Is the claim true or false, and why?

      1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

        True.

        1. Because there's old TV interviews of every single current Whitehouse apparatchik defining a recession as two consecutive quarters of negative growth... including Tres Sec. Janet Yellen, just one year ago. Every single one of them now claim otherwise.

        2. Watch how all these networks defined a recession last year, compared to this week.
        https://twitter.com/YALiberty/status/1552028762866388994

        3. Wikipedia suspends edits to its 'recession' page after users scrambled to change definition to match Biden's claim that the US is NOT in one

        1. Ted   3 years ago

          Why does Pedo Jeffy act like this is some big ‘gotcha’?

          1. Inquisitive Squirrel   3 years ago

            Cause he's an anti-intellectual, tribalist moron at this point.

            1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

              Oh nonsense. I made a valid point that the claim that was actually presented to be judged had an element of truth to it.

              1. Inquisitive Squirrel   3 years ago

                You mean you grasped for a straw to defend your political team.

        2. damikesc   3 years ago

          Just like election laws, Jeffy is OK with people changing them to benefit Biden.

      2. Marshal   3 years ago

        Just answer the question.

        The left's narcissism is showing. jeffey's top defensive tactic is simply ignoring comments which effectively rebut his fantasy beliefs. But despite this he believes he can demand answers of others.

        Standards are what left wingers apply to other people, never to themselves.

        1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

          I ignore comments from trolls and assholes.

          So, is the claim true or false, and why?

          1. Nelson   3 years ago

            It is false. The reason is that recession has had an accepted criterion for decades. We are presently in a situation that fits that criterion.

            Hence, we are in a recession. It's not complicated.

            1. Nelson   3 years ago

              My fault. The claim is true. The reasoning remains.

            2. Tony   3 years ago

              You didn't know about that "accepted criterion" until two days ago.

              And as a matter of fact, though the US may or may not be an outlier in this case, the definition the US uses is not, in fact, simply two consecutive negative growth quarters. It's just not.

              1. DesigNate   3 years ago

                Look, just because you’re an economically illiterate moron doesn’t mean the rest of us are.

                1. Tony   3 years ago

                  No, I think you're generally illiterate morons.

                  Defining "recession" in a certain narrow way is not economics, and "A man is a man and a woman is a woman!" is not biology.

                  1. Ted   3 years ago

                    You’re one of the most poorly educated posters here. So you really don’t want to pull too hard on that thread. Especially since all you have to back it up is your paltry 85 IQ brain. Probably riddled with disease.

                  2. DesigNate   3 years ago

                    Hahahahahahahahaha

                  3. Inquisitive Squirrel   3 years ago

                    Jesus. And here comes fuckwit Tony to gaslight on the definition of recession, too.

                    The absurdity from left-wingers to defend their team at all costs is mind boggling.

        2. Marshal   3 years ago

          I ignore comments from trolls and assholes.

          You ignore comments whenever the answers undermine your fantasies.

          So, is the claim true or false, and why?

          Again we see the belief that others must respond to you while you remain free to ignore anyone when the answer would discredit you. Standards exist for other people, never for leftists.

          1. Ted   3 years ago

            Honesty doesn’t exist for them either.

    5. damikesc   3 years ago

      "Okay, Reason commenters: is this claim true or false? And show your work."

      Is the precise definition used for decades suddenly NOW incorrect?

      No. You need to provide proof that this change is true.

      1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

        Is that claim true or false, and why?
        What is so difficult about answering the question?

        1. Inquisitive Squirrel   3 years ago

          Actually, your question has been answered over and over again. You just ignore it and keep playing this disengenous game. Fucking grow up.

          1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

            When I posted that comment, at 10:27 am, they had not.

            1. Inquisitive Squirrel   3 years ago

              Actually yeah, ML had about 45 minutes prior.

    6. Nelson   3 years ago

      It is 100% true. And a terrible thing.

  24. Nardz   3 years ago

    https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1553233925618688000?t=Be5rYP-hLWpJAT3C_dd46w&s=19

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to use new limits on pollutants to take on coal-fired power plants, in a sign of how Joe Biden’s administration intends to push its goals to decarbonize the power sector despite the Supreme Court ruling

    [Link]

    1. NOYB2   3 years ago

      Can we carbonize Biden? Like in Star Wars? He might actually make it to the end of his first term that way, and it would keep him away from microphones.

    2. Tony   3 years ago

      Do you actually think burning coal is good, or do you think it must be good since the same politicians who whore for coal also shit on gay people?

      1. Ted   3 years ago

        Gay people already got everything. You can do everything a normal person can do. Now you want special privileges and protections not afforded to normal people.

        The funny thing is that you hate us. Yet without people like us, you would likely be murdered by Muslim fundamentalists or less generous Marxists like the CCP. Basically, your continued existence is predicated on our to,era de and our protection.

        1. Tony   3 years ago

          The only fundamentalists who've ever been a threat to me are the Christian variety. How many thousands of years of evidence do you need before you understand that the solution to someone else having a stupid religion is not to go to war against it with your own stupid religion?

          I'd love to know what these special privileges are. You said special privileges so you should be able to explain exactly what the fuck you're talking about. Otherwise you're labeling equality as special privilege, and that could get dangerous.

          1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

            "The only fundamentalists who've ever been a threat to me are the Christian variety."

            How so, Tony. How the fuck did they threaten you?
            Not cheer and wave little alphabet sex cult flags everytime you took one in the ass? Not pen odes to your nocturnal bug chasing?

            The only real threat to you are your pals who are going to give you monkeypox at the next orgy.

          2. Ted   3 years ago

            If that’s true, why don’t you got to Iran, or any other Muslim majority country and show them how loud and proud you are? The fact is that you’re too chickenshit to do something like that. Just like you hide behind leftist government for everything else.

            And yes, you get special privileges. Special protections not afforded heterosexual who hve no special identity box to check. For hiring preferences, for legal protection through identity based ‘hate crimes’ for things that are already illegal. You even get a special propaganda month to celebrate your sododmitic proclivities that is forced on the rest of us. Plus all the special leftist ‘LGBT’ programs that cost me money.

            Need I go on?

      2. Jazzizhep   3 years ago

        Here I thought gay people shit on each other to get off.

        1. Ted   3 years ago

          I don’t think that particular fetish is exclusive to gays.

  25. NOYB2   3 years ago

    Don't worry, Biden's recession wordplay is just foreplay.

    You'll keep getting it good and hard for the next couple of years from Biden.

    1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

      Yeah, ultimately. He's trying to play a rhetorical game. Just throw sand in the air to obscure the truth, to try to convince enough people that simply because people disagree, then maybe we're not in a recession.

      1. Marshal   3 years ago

        [Biden]'s trying to play a rhetorical game.

        Of course the subject is not Biden. Rather the subject is the leftist media who repeat his obviously false statements and claim any criticism is factually wrong. This of course includes blog commenters who repeat these talking points because their only goal is supporting the left's propaganda.

        1. Ted   3 years ago

          Our prog media must be ended.

      2. Tony   3 years ago

        If two consecutive negative growth quarters equals a recession, then current economic conditions are proving that the definition of recession is too strict to be useful, or it's not a recession.

        Of course you can call it whatever you want. If the entire point of this conversation is to get people to blame the US president for global economic conditions, then this entire conversation is in service of lies.

        1. Marshal   3 years ago

          If two consecutive negative growth quarters equals a recession, then current economic conditions are proving that the definition of recession is too strict to be useful,

          It's revealing these analyses are only made when they protect Democrats. Protecting Democrats is the only goal of any leftist communication. Reality, truth, fairness, equity, and all other attributes are irrelevant.

          1. Tony   3 years ago

            Conservatives define truth as whatever Fox & Friends said that morning.

            1. Marshal   3 years ago

              This is the difference between leftists and everyone else. My comment outlines your philosophy supported by thousands of comments without a single variation. Yours is just a stupid insult based on nothing. You can't think of an intelligent comment but you also can't skip an opportunity to lash out.

              Leftists are pathetic.

              1. Tony   3 years ago

                Your hypothesis is that the media are conspiring to change the definition of words to help Democrats.

                My hypothesis is that the definition never changed, and you didn't give a fuck about that definition until you were told to by a Republican propaganda machine desperate to have an excuse to shit on Biden.

                What is Republican economic policy these days, by the way? Is it the same as all their other policies: do whatever Trump says?

                1. Marshal   3 years ago

                  The key difference is that your hypothesis is demonstrably false while mine is demonstrably true.

                  Note how he abstracts true and false until both are merely "hypotheses" without reference to true and false. This is how propagandists work.

                2. Brian   3 years ago

                  And later Tony:

                  “If it means not helping Republicans gain power, journalists should lie. We should probably figure out how to cheat at elections too.”

            2. Ted   3 years ago

              Yeah, you always puke up that cliche ‘Fo News!’ trope. It’s more played out than the rectum of the young boy Buttplug keeps blind and gagged in his basement.

              1. Tony   3 years ago

                I'd be happy to stop mentioning them the day I don't see the entire conservative internet all have the exact same phony talking points at exactly the same time.

                Conservatism is followership. You wouldn't be able to scratch your ass without some dear leader's permission.

                1. VULGAR MADMAN   3 years ago

                  Dear god, the projection!

                  1. Inquisitive Squirrel   3 years ago

                    It's honestly fascinating at this point.

                    1. Brian   3 years ago

                      He came up with his own unique reasons to hate Trump.

                2. Ted   3 years ago

                  Leftist sites like Media Matters actually email daily talking points to subnormal drones like you. I’m not aware of anyone outside of the left doing that.

              2. Inquisitive Squirrel   3 years ago

                Eh, it's all Tony has. I mean, his political and social ideologies are continually shown to be wrong and basically garbage, so screaming things like "Fox News" and "racist" for rebuttal is all he's got left.

                1. Ted   3 years ago

                  Plus he’s not very bright. Although he did lie recently and claim he had a 165 IQ.

            3. Jazzizhep   3 years ago

              No actually, Pelosi said it in 2020.

  26. DesigNate   3 years ago

    I think the word you’re looking for Robby is COLLUSION.

    1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

      What is the difference between "collusion" and "cooperation"?

      1. Ted   3 years ago

        A leftist media.

      2. Jazzizhep   3 years ago

        You’re right. It’s not really a secret collaboration. Collusion is the wrong word.

        What’s the difference between propaganda and MSM?

  27. Tony   3 years ago

    Hey fucktards, it's not the world's greatest injustice that other people aren't shitting on Joe Biden as much as you want them to.

    This recession horseshit is about one thing only: midterm strategy in favor of the Republican party.

    Every journalist and freethinking human in existence has an incentive to deny Republicans power over our lives. If it means not helping Republicans gain power, journalists should lie. We should probably figure out how to cheat at elections too.

    Not that the administration or the journalists are actually lying now. It's not a recession if unemployment is at historic lows. A recession nobody feels (or even more absurd, when what people are feeling is a bunch of their own economic demand pushing up prices) isn't a fucking recession. You just want the dictionary to shit on Joe Biden. You have no other concerns but that.

    1. Ted   3 years ago

      You democrats are destroying a American lives at a record pace and the only thing you stop to consider is the politics of it. You’re an evil, stupid shitweasel.

      1. Tony   3 years ago

        Actually, as usual, under Democrats the economy is booming. That's often what "inflation" means.

        It's just that your favorite propaganda channels have an easy job: cherry pick something wrong in the world, blame the nearest Democrat, and forget to mention the good stuff.

        Of course I've never had economic hardship under any political party, but if times are challenging I don't sit around and whine about politicians, I look for the investment opportunities their stupidity has made most rational.

        But you're talking about some lame Twitter-addicted culture war horseshit, aren't you?

        1. Marshal   3 years ago

          the economy is booming. That's often what "inflation" means.

          What an idiot. It beggars the mind people who pretend to care about those with lower income cheer their suffering as long as their team is in charge.

          Leftists are completely without morals and empathy.

          1. VULGAR MADMAN   3 years ago

            They are actual NPCs.
            They have nothing but scripted responses.

            1. Ted   3 years ago

              Remember that when things get real and creatures like Tony have to be dealt with. I’ve always said they’re just soulless unclean things. Tony proves that to be a fundamental truth.

          2. Inquisitive Squirrel   3 years ago

            When your ideology requires praising inflation as a good thing (at least when your team is in charge, as we know what Tony would be saying if Trump was president), then you know you've hit rock bottom and have nothing left.

        2. Petercj   3 years ago

          Tony loves playing Calvin ball , “We progressives can’t be losing, we just change the rules, moved the goal post, redefined winning AND Re-edited the score card! Now Be a good-sport and stop complaining, or will do worse”
          Strangely, this attitude does not bring you universal love and adoration.

    2. Brian   3 years ago

      “ If it means not helping Republicans gain power, journalists should lie. We should probably figure out how to cheat at elections too.”

      Oh, they’re way ahead of you on that one.

    3. Brian   3 years ago

      For someone so philosophically educated in the ways of wisdom, you sure whine like a bitch.

      75% of democrats don’t want Biden. You maybe think it’s less of a “right wing media bubble” thing, and more of a “dementia-suffering old man sucks at his one job” thing?

    4. Jazzizhep   3 years ago

      “ Not that the administration or the journalists are actually lying now.”

      No, they just change objective facts—see Politifact. While you can get ten different economists to tell you ten different definitions of a recession, the public, public economists, newspapers, news channels, and members of the democratic party defined recession as two consecutive quarters of negative growth as recently as 2020. That is an objective fact. Now, when it’s convenient, they want to change the definition. That’s also an objective fact.

      1. Truthfulness   3 years ago

        Really saddening and disgusting at the damage control these people are doing when the economy is in an awful state, and more disgusting that people like Tony support such people and lack their boots.

        “Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” - Isaiah 5:21

  28. David Emami   3 years ago

    Has become? "Welcome to the party, pal."

  29. meekss   3 years ago

    You democrats are destroying a American lives at a record pace and the only thing you stop to consider is the politics of it. You’re an evil, stupid shitweasel
    meekss.com
    keys77.com

  30. Sevo   3 years ago

    "..."Both official determinations of recessions and economists' assessment of economic activity are based on a holistic look at the data—..."

    Anyone using "holistic" in a non-ironic manner is bullshitting you.

  31. Sequel   3 years ago

    Biden's decision to redefine "recession" has caused newpapers to place the word in quotes.

    Unfortunately, this week, the same newspapers are now placing the word "rebound" in quotes and bending over backwards to avoid saying that the very common Paxlovid rebound from Covid isn't really "covid", and is very rare.

    Journalism needs a major reset now that it cannot report a simple fact, and simply note that that fact is disputed by sources who want to alter its political impact on a weakened president.

    1. Petercj   3 years ago

      Our whole intelligentsia class needs a reset, as it has become dangerously disconnected from practicality.

      Bring back fundamentals like empirical data and experience based expertise (if you Report on, manage, critique, teach, make laws about - at least have SOME experience in field of endeavor you claim to be an expert on.)

      These people are constantly wrong, you'd think that alone would trigger a reset.

      1. Petercj   3 years ago

        Unless of course the collective goal is not to actually bring success to individuals endeavors.

        But what other point is there? Control without a goal is useless, if you’re doomed to rule hell, why would you let (much less encourage) hell to get even worse? You’ed have to live there, eventuality the awfulness will encroach upon you and your family! Who wants to be in an soul crushing, dirty, mindless cult, even as leader – there’s a reason they nearly always drink the poisoned Kool-Aid. Don’t these people get tired of being, and making others, miserable?

  32. DocRab   3 years ago

    Most social media are POS or should one say FOS?

  33. BigT   3 years ago

    FOX, for all its buffoonery, has become the most reliable network.

    Think what that means!

  34. Doriis   3 years ago

    hey

  35. Doriis   3 years ago

    open and enjoy http://www.site.slate74.com

  36. Liberty Lover   3 years ago

    Fascist Biden and Zuckerberg working together to censor people, and Reason still says it it not censorship.

    "The fact-checking industry has become a Democratic partisan arbiter of political disputes," notes Phil Magness.
    Reason won't put the one word in there to make it a true statement.

  37. BruceMajors   3 years ago

    Social media tech titans seem to always begin intensifying censorship 3 or 4 months before elections.

    They just wiped out the DC Libertarian Party twitter account, claiming it was "impersonating" the real DC Libertarian Party twitter account

    https://www.baconsrebellion.com/wp/is-d-c-s-loss-virginias-gain/?

  38. Truthteller1   3 years ago

    Nothing screams legit "fact check" like a 20 something woke bot. It's a joke. They don't know what they don't know.

  39. John Rohan   3 years ago

    When this article came out, I tested it by posting the instagram video on FB, and sure enough, the "fact check" disclaimer popped up.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CgcGPx1gz-o/

    However, just now I tried it again, and FB did not censor it this time. It looks like they are no longer censoring it, although YMMV.

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