Politics

Christie’s Logical Fallacy

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

Gov. Chris Christie (R-New Jersey) offered a fallacious argument when questioned about Warren Buffett’s argument on tax increases for the wealthy. The logical fallacy is Ad Hominem Tu Quoque and is committed when “it is concluded that a person’s claim is false because 1) it is inconsistent with something else a person has said or 2) what a person says is inconsistent with her actions.”

When asked about Warren Buffett’s call for higher taxes on the wealthy, Christie replies: “If he wants to give the government more money, he’s got the ability to write a check.” The implication is that since Buffet isn’t going to write a check, his argument is crap and he’s a hypocrite.

Buffett’s argument is that everyone in the upper tax brackets should be paying higher taxes. Just because Buffett doesn’t voluntarily choose to pay the higher tax rate is irrelevant to his claim that everyone ought to.

Here is the video:

H/T: The Non Sequitur.

64 thoughts on “Christie’s Logical Fallacy”

  1. id707,

    Yes, I had read that there was great controversy with the “common-law” wife. From what I understand, due to security reasons, they never married (something about having to publish addresses and threats to his life based on his politics) and she found the manuscripts after his death but has no ownership rights so the brother and father are reaping all the rewards.

    The “will” he left was never witnessed so where he wanted his estate to go is of little consequence under Swedish law (ours too, probably).

    I also read he was a relatively young man when he died of a massive heart attack after climbing seven flights of stairs to get to his office … the building’s elevator was out of service that day. Probably hadn’t gotten around to finalizing his Will.

    I suspect his character, Lisbeth, will continue to be a challenge for actresses for the next 100 years or so.

    BTW … Tex is my husband’s nickname and has nothing to do with the state. We reside in the Cleveland, Ohio area.

  2. mahtso,

    If you watched the vid then you caught the reference to “raising” all ships which was the point of the entire exchange.

    If he pays 17% then his rate is lower than mine and I assure you, I am no billionaire and I just checked with a neighbor who is also comfortably in a middle class niche, income-wise, and his rate (Federal, SS, State. and local) is just shy of 35% … his taxes were just completed so that’s after all deductions were taken … it was much higher as it came out of his paycheck.

    Buffet’s comments seem closer to reality than yours … unless my neighbor is lying and my own eyes are fooling me as they gaze upon my tax forms.

  5. “mahtso,

    If you don’t see the point, I can’t help you.”

    And, if you can’t acknowledge that Mr. Buffet may not be telling the truth, I can’t help you. But in case he is telling the truth, I ask again: is 36% fairv for someone earning over $373,000?

  6. I707,

    I consulated with a friend that does international law and privacy issues for prominent swedish nationals…. You are aware that they are much more stringent than the US laws….

    They are in the recording industry…. I suppose they would know more than the usual desserts….

  7. Let me deliver a wakeup idea. I’m eating breakfast and you will later.

    A special woman said recently over a cup of coffee:

    The things that have to be repeatedly said, will repeat as long as they need to be said—-and only then will they be quiet.

    She spoke a great deal, intertainlngly; but listened poorly, as only her tales amused her. Not always a poor social situation. It was a constant stream of high wire acts, salto mortals, sad, happy, boisterous, constant braggadocio, and at times moving.

    My paraphrase poorly sketchs her concise version.

  9. Blouise,
    With 6 hours difference, I was sleeping when you came home.
    Sounded veeeeerrryyy nice. Just the cordiality between ages can lift things out of the conventional plots. Speculations all.
    Am honored you found the urge to write then, or did you stay up the whole night?
    I enjoy dialoging with you too. That old je-ne-sai-pas factor.
    As for the films, it is presumptuous to make a judgement on based on compariing trailers of the Swedish vs American version. So don’t pay it no mind(dialect again). Instead your enthusiasm will urge me to check them both out.

    As for Stieg Larsson, there’s consiferable controversy about if he had help of his wife in writing them, and how much. I’ll touch on that if it interests yóu.
    It’s not insignificant.
    Remind me to give you a little background on Sjövall/Wahlöö who did a great indictiment of justice system and society in the 50-60 era, and one booktheir several books was maginificently rendered by a pioneerr Swedish director—-and he pioneered in creating new film genre.
    One book starts with a man, standing on his balcony, smoking his cigarette, watching a group of school children playing on their way home from school.
    It’s grip you and scare you.

    My wife was a story, the comparison to Lisbeth Salander was a special occassion and not her routine. She was the classic brilliant women learning from, the partymaster at university Nation activities, who knew that knowledge displays didn’t get husbands, not even a lay.

    She was so smart and outstanding that she was the employee representative on the finance committee meetings and dinners, very early in her carreer. Hobnobbing with Swedents finance and industrial elite.

    More later if you will.

    Have a nice relaxing Sunday, whatever is planned. Say hello to Texas from an Carolina boy, there’s only one we feel, the TarHeel one; the Palmetto one must be a tropical disease. HUH; HUH; HUH:

  11. id707,

    Sorry about the late hour … Tex (my husband) and I were out with friends at a local eatery/Irish Pub … lots of singing with a good Irish band and a great mixture of age groups to liven up the give and take.

    Yep, I was the one doing the ant infested chicken dance. 😉

    Yes, I was referring to the girl, Lisbeth Salander (“Wasp”), in Stieg Larsson’s books. I love the character, Lisbeth, and greatly admire Larsson’s skill in developing her. I watched all the movies produced in Sweden and dubbed in English, and unlike you, really enjoyed them. I haven’t see the latest production starring Rooney Mara but will get to it.

    Your wife sounds more and more interesting as you release bits and pieces … 🙂

    I enjoy dialoguing with you.

  12. I wondered about Christie seemingly all of the sudden on a lot of shows, are the putting him out there as someone the repubs would like to see drafted?
    One of the other ‘interestng’ things he said was that he brought unemployment down from 10.something% to 9.something. Rose asked him if he can promote how good that was why was it not worth the same puffery from the Obama administration?
    He had some retort but I try to wipe my mind clean of this guy’s pronouncements since he is so often wrong or lying.

    (remember how he had no apology for spending 10,000$ to fly state plane to see his son play in a soccer game? If he is being floated a very sad commentary that this is thebest they feel they have to offer.)

  16. Sorry Blouise,
    You asked about the GIRL, not the film, or how was it you meant?
    Thanks to SwM for the clip.

    The girl, no, but my wife was much like her. Only cleaner in the mouth.
    She preferred to use her infallible memory and mind to make her opponents blow up in meetings. Incoherent men seldom win issues.

    She once told her director in a meeting with the CEO, among others.
    “Are we here to discuss personalties or personnel issues.” The CEO gave her a wondering look and looked down while the moment chilled off.
    The director, later becoming CEO of a breakoff after a merger, made her a director there. More tales to be told, but later.

    Rapace seems interesting. How much is acting and how much is real?

  19. SwM,

    To be concise or not to be: No, have only seen trailer of another Swedish production (the first? film). Haven’t read any of his books nor seen films.

    Saw the trailer of the same film, but in totally American production, also filmed here, same Stockholm seen through other eyes, and a pace that pulled your stomach out through your skin. You were dizzy after the trailer, which is compressed of course. Incredible film production, editing, etc.
    The Swedish again was a poor imitation of the trade. The scene from Djurgarden of a car chase is laughable, as the same milieu has been used in so many film and TV productions (close to the studieo).

    I prefer the American one., although the American actress said in the EU version. “he gave her cunnilingus, not enough” changed to “he pleasured her, not enough…..” in the USA(?) trailer version.

    The Swedish version: poor imitation of an American genré. Barebones production, poorly edited, and the studio recorded and overdubbed voices are so clear it hurts. The Swedish language will get a few points as being exotic. And of course it is always “real” Swedish.

    Thanks for asking. Why?

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