In essence, belief in outcomes rather than making hard decisions about actions to achieve something avoids being successful. As we explore various issues our approach will be to divide all discussion into three groups:
- Just the facts – what evidence exists.
- Opinion – based upon reasoning, what do we believe to be the situation.
- Policy Proposals – considering the known facts, combined with our reasoned opinion, what are scenarios and public policies that we believe appropriate?!
Examples of misguided faith:
- I have faith that if we cut taxes then the economy will grow … or
- I have faith that if we do X without proper funding that a miracle will happen to pay for it … or
- I have faith that if we go to war we will not notice the financial burden placed upon our country … or
- I have faith that if we do not adopt a truly comprehensive energy policy that somehow we will find a way to stop being held hostage by nations which are hostile to our national interests just because we are addicted to oil … or
- I have faith that if we go to war we will find weapons of mass destruction even though our own intelligence agencies advise that there is no evidence of such weapons existing.