This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Fact Checking... The Newest Partisan Fad in Psuedo Journalism

What is going on with the fact checkers this election cycle?

Help???????  I have been fact checked and I can't get up? 

What in the world is a fact checker and how do I get that gravy train job?  According to my friends at Wikipedia: "A fact checker is the person who checks factual assertions in non-fictional text, usually intended for publication in a periodical, to determine their veracity and correctness. The job requires general knowledge, but more important it requires the ability to conduct quick and accurate research." 

This is usually a junior staff person or entry level position who does this scut work. 

Fact checking has become the "vogue" term in today's political climate.  In today's perpetual 24/7 non-stop over the top news cycle, where one has to scoop the other fact checking has become totally and completely out of control.  Gone are the days when you could trust a candidate from any party to tell even a shred of the truth to the general public, because if they did, they would get excoriated by the fact checkers.

Find out what's happening in Woodburywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Fact checkers are supposed to check facts.  Not report on the facts as they see them.  When a fact checker goes off the reservation and openly starts cheering for one party, then it is an issue.  But how does this happen?  It is very simple.  Most, journalists are liberal in their political leanings.  As we saw in 2008, a man with very little experience in governing.  He was, in my opinion, given a complete pass from a very biased media, who didn't fact check his claims and statements. He, along with a very incompetent campaign by his opponent allowed the rise of Mr. Obama to the highest office in the land. 

Fast forward to 2012, Mitt Romney, who may still win in November, in spite of himself, along with his running mate, Paul Ryan are fact checked, as they should be, but they are consistently given adverse fact check results.  Conversely, when President Obama, or the gaffetastic, BFD, Joe Biden are fact checked, they generally get better treatment from the fact checkers.  Case in point, Mr. Romney says Medicare will be cut by $716 billion dollars under Obamacare and is ripped in the headlines for it not being factual, when, in fact it is true.  Mr. Obama promised to reduce the deficit by 50%, when, in fact, it has gone up over 60% under his four years in power.  Nary a peep from the fact checkers. 

Find out what's happening in Woodburywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

My point is the entry level person is completing the work of fact checking has an interest in towing the line for the media outfit he/she works.  If you don't tow the line you are most likely not going to be around for long.  If you tow the line you get a pat on the head and maybe if you are really lucky, you get invited to the Georgetown cocktail circuit where you really get to rub elbows and get connected. 

From there, they have the hooks in you and your liberal indoctrination is complete.  You are now one of them, and once you are part of them, it is almost impossible you will be returning to the rest of us anytime soon. My advice is this, like everything else in the world, Mr. Romney is not as bad as the liberal press would have you believe and Mr. Obama is not the reincarnation of Zeus either.  They still put their pants on one leg at a time like the rest of humanity. 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?