(See, at the bottom, a list and links of good data sources.)
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Pogo
Reasoning + knowledge/insight + facts + constructiveness = What works
This is the key criteria for evaluating politicians and for creating results.
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It's hard to make good decisions and to have the necessary underlying understanding if one reads biased, inaccurate, not well-thought out commentary. And it's even harder if all we read is "our side" and how the other side is evil, wrong, etc.
In truth, no one has a monopoly on the truth. It is vital that we start "thinking", using fact-based reasoning to come to conclusions instead of picking selective evidence to back up our beliefs. (Read The Believing Brain, Michael Shermer.)
THE COMMENTATORS
The commentators I respect are as follows. Some are left-leaning, some right-leaning, but all rely more on facts and reasoning to come to their conclusions and are open to hearing and understanding facts and reasoning on the other side. Google them to read articles.:
Fareed Zakaria (CNN, Time)
David Brooks (N.Y. Times, guest on many talk shows)
Tom Sullivan (Radio, Fox Business) - Conservative and very objective and understanding, uses reasoning.
These people are well-reasoned and smart, but they respect disparate points of view and the people who have them.
SMART PEOPLE, BUT TWISTING FOR "PASSIONATE BELIEFS"
There is one prize winning economist who is so hateful to the Republicans that he drifts into total bias and twisting, even evilizing others - and shuts off part of his brain, as he seeks selective evidence - one of the killer habits that prevents fact-based rational thinking.. Yet, if he used his rational faculties without the prejudice, he would not engage in this. He is oblivious, as the fish is to the water. We get from him alot of heat and fission, but little of balance and reason. Sad.
I won't list those people, as you, if you choose openmindedness, can easily see it if you look.
THE "ALWAYS ONE SIDE" EXPERTS VS. THE OBJECTIVE OVERVIEWERS
The one-sided and the extreme of one-sideds, the hatefuls, only seek to enforce the evilization of the other side, hardly ever seeking good solutions.
The Rational Arguers for one side or the other
Heritage Foundation - Conservative and very rational. Good source.
CATO Institute - I thought they were pretty good, until I saw an ignorant comment from them on TV.
FACT CHECKERS
FactCheck.org
Politifact.com
THINKING AND GOOD DECISION-MAKING
FactCheckEd.org (actually about various ways to think and look at the facts, does some "left" twisting, so focus on just the facts)
GOOD DATA SOURCES
