Statistical Manipulation 101

[mythbuster43]

PolitiFact, in rating a claim by Allen West (about how more people receive food aid than work in the private sector) as False, also shows us how easy it is for politicians and pundits to manipulate data and statistics. West got his information from CNSNews, which is basically the Fox News of the internet and doesn't do much besides promote the policies of the Republican Party. Not only did CNSNews use outdated information (they used the 2012 average, rather than that of April 2013, the most recent statistics available), but they also subtracted part-time workers from their total. And, of course, no mention was made that some people receiving food aid were also working in the private sector (the two aren't mutually exclusive).

This is one of many reasons that I always check PolitiFact whenever a politician or a pundit makes a claim.

[ironbite]

...I feel like I'm missing a vital piece of information here.

Ironbite-dah fuck you talking about?

[Sylvana]

...I feel like I'm missing a vital piece of information here.

Ironbite-dah fuck you talking about?

Short version: politicians fiddle the facts and the numbers to suit their talking points.

They remove data points and don't reveal the full scope of the study and even compare unrelated graphs to create the impression they want. Basically lying 101, omission and misdirection.