Twisting "facts" and figures to fit ...

[mc5aw]

From FoxNews, this article provides interesting insight on how certain statistical claims making the rounds are grossly manipulated to support a specific political agenda. In this particular instance, the % information put forth is so egregiously twisted that it is essentially fraudulent.

Obama criticized for using dated, disputed gun stat to sell background checks | Fox News

 

[Bekeart]

Never let facts get in the way of a good story

40 Per Cent without background check

"as many as 40 percent of guns are purchased without a background check.”
By John Lott wrote in National Review : "we will see the true number of guns “sold” without check is closer to 10 percent."
The ?40 Percent? Myth - John Lott - National Review Online

Mr. Lott points out that many of these transfers are between family members.

I never let facts get in the way of a good story. - Mark Twain

 

[Tom K]

79% of statistics are made up on the spot.

 

[dougb1946]

There is a difference between doing research to prove a point and doing research to find the truth.

 

[Aticus]

It's funny that the politicians on both side of this debate use poll statistics to prove their point when I've never been asked about any of this by any national polling company. My state rep sent me a survey a while back that I answered but nothing on the national level. Some one explain to me how these statistics represent me.

To use a 20 year old survey to claim a national figure when only 251 people answered the question silly beyond all reason.

 

[lagavulin62]

It seems insane but we have to understand
the "data" is for the idiots who still
rely on the networks for their news. And don't
forget Obama is a rock star. : )

 

[keith44spl]

.


Round it up or round it down when it suits

If it can't be disputed easily....Call it whatever that works best for your agenda.

I can find no truth in the bowels of the statisticians to the politicians,

Statistics are only as accurate as the source

and only as reliable as said cherry picker of same.

Never let the truth or real facts interfere with the statistics


.

 

[Mcwsky09]

I think everyone has some sort of bias. The trouble is when you find some single data point that agrees with your bias and then stop versus researching that data point to get some sort of independent validation. Then again no one every accused gun grabbers of being interested in the objective truth so long as they can promote their agenda.

 

[WI357SIG]

There are "lies, damned lies, and statistics" popularised by Mark Twain (among others).