BJ'S STRAW MAN

From Professor Wikipedia:

"A straw man is a common form of argument and is an informal fallacy based on giving the impression of refuting an opponent's argument, while actually refuting an argument that was not presented by that opponent.^[1]One who engages in this fallacy is said to be "attacking a straw man".

The typical straw man argument creates the illusion of having completely refuted or defeated an opponent's proposition through the covert replacement of it with a different proposition (i.e., "stand up a straw man") and the subsequent refutation of that false argument ("knock down a straw man") instead of the opponent's proposition.^[2][3]

This technique has been used throughout history in polemical debate, particularly in arguments about highly charged emotional issues where a fiery "battle" and the defeat of an "enemy" may be more valued than critical thinking or an understanding of both sides of the issue."

BJ's press release was picked up by all the media outlets. Here are the pertinent parts of the Speaker's press release:

"Abolishing Agencies Would Save 3% of General Fund APPROPRIATIONS

CHAIRMAN CALLS FOR SES TO REDUCE EXPENSES (March 20, 2018- Hagåtña)

"In light of the government’s dire financial state and the expanded reorganization authority granted to the Governor of Guam by Public Law 34-87, the Speaker commissioned the report to determine the maximum budgetary amounts that could be saved. Under the reorganization provision proffered by Senator Frank B. Aguon, Jr. the Governor may by executive order abolish any agency of the government with a Priority Number of 301 or higher

"Sixty-five percent (65%) of all General Fund dollars are committed to education, health, and safety. This means that abolishing other “less essential” entities would save just 3% of the Fiscal Year 2018 Budget, according to an analysis recently published by the Office of Finance and Budget (OFB) today. 

***

"In simple terms, if we assume that the FY19 General Fund revenue shortfall is $100 million, and abolished every agency assigned to Groups 200 and 300, the alleged shortfall would still exceed $50 million. “I asked for this report and prayed that rightsizing alone would be the answer to our problems—it isn’t.” said Cruz."

***

That's what BJ's release said.

A good counter to BJ's straw man position is § 5 of  Public Law 34-87  which was a floor amendment that added the content of   Bill No. 247-34 (COR) -. Here's the pertinent part of that bill:

"This Act recognizes education, health and public safety as the government’s top priorities so that the Governor may establish priorities among government agencies so that the top priorities are adequately funded.

***

"It is the intent of I Liheslaturan Guåhan that the Governor use these tools, to include outsourcing, privatization, elimination of agencies, absorption of functions, prioritization of personnel and appropriations, to provide a smaller, more affordable government which, if nothing else, provides for education, health and public safety. While allowing transfer of appropriations when agencies are abolished or functions relocated, I Liheslatura continues to reserve to itself its plenary power of appropriation and its power to create agencies and departments."

BJ's release proceeds on the basis that the proponents of § 5 of Public Law 34-87   held it out as the solution to GovGuam's  current cash problems. No one, i.e.no one, advanced that proposition--not in floor debate, testimony, in the VOP, Op/Eds or the radio talk shows (at least while I was listening) not even BJ!

And then after beating the  Hell heck  out the straw man he constructed, BJ moved on to his second logical fallacy: petitio principii or

BJ BEGS THE QUESTION

"When Group 300 agencies account for just 3% of General Fund dollars spent, abolishing agencies that serve the disabled, protect farmers, and help our people get to work aren’t going to get us all the way home—even if we recognized home once we got there.”                          

No, § 5 didn't abolish agencies, under serve the disabled nor leave farmers unprotected. No, those who stumped for § 5 didn't advocate those unpalatable consequences that the release trotted out. Nope.

At least the PDN wasn't taken in. Check out today's editorial--pertinent parts:

"This week, Speaker Benjamin Cruz said getting rid of less-essential agencies wouldn’t save that much money. Eliminating these agencies would only save about $22.6 million he said.

"Cruz said he prayed rightsizing alone would help solve the government’s financial problems, but it won’t..

"But government reorganization isn’t just about getting rid of a few smaller, less-essential agencies. It needs to be a comprehensive look at how to run the government more efficiently, more effectively, and for less money.

"Elected officials need to examine what agencies can be eliminated, and what services can be consolidated under other agencies or offices. Some government jobs will be eliminated, because salaries and benefits make up a big portion of government costs.

"It also means looking at what services can be privatized and turned over to local businesses. Privatization doesn’t just mean savings for the government, but also will mean new revenue from the private companies that take over these services."

The PDN got it right. 

Of course FromBob Buffs spotted BJ's straw man instantly having been tipped off by three earlier posts:

TESTIMONY ON BILLS 244 & 245-34

THE MISSOURI MANEUVER--CAUSATION OR COINCIDENCE?

TESTIMONY ON BILLS 244 & 245-34

It could even be said that Point 1 of the Missouri Maneuver foreshadowed the enactment of PL 34-87! Here's some:

"1)    Your performing the Missouri Maneuver[i] is absolutely essential if you are to gain my support for this or ANY OTHER tax increase. Unless you take steps to fix the structural problems within GovGuam to bring about an effective, efficient government that provides basic services in accordance with the rule of law on at least a break-even basis, temporary fixes like a sales tax are abhorrent.

    

“Well, let’s get through this cash emergency then we’ll work on long term solutions,”

    

     won’t cut it any more. The long term and the short term must be dealt with apace, not seriatim."

But let's give BJ a pass this time.

Speaker B.J. Cruz, based on his long record, gets a pass this time. That straw man press release just didn't fit the pattern that BJ has established over his long career. Regardless of the issue, you'd have to look long and hard at BJ's arguments to find one based on one, much less two, logical fallacies. Let's just treat BJ's STRAW MAN as a one-off and look forward to nine more months of good work from him.