View source for Finger-pointing

In rhetorical parlance, '''finger-pointing''' is the act of attempting to affix blame for something on another party.  It typically also carries the connotation of a denial of responsibility on the part of the accuser.  Frequently, the accusations leveled are unfair in nature.<ref>https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finger-pointing</ref>

==Liberal Finger-Pointing==

Finger-pointing is a characteristically [[liberal]] behavior pattern.  When a problem exists, the first impulse of liberals is frequently to find a way to deny blame for that problem, and to affix that blame on [[conservatives]] or conservative principles.  This occurs despite the fact that many of the problems were clearly the result of liberal positions, values, or policies.  For example, liberals frequently accuse conservatives of being [[fascists]], despite the fact that liberals have consistently demanded a more powerful, more intrusive federal government and conservatives have consistently opposed this.  Likewise, liberals accuse conservatives of not valuing education, despite the fact that liberal educational policies (such as [[whole-language instruction]], [[grade inflation]], and [[social promotion]]) have led to a decline in learning and academic performance.

Conservatives, by contrast, accept responsibility for their own actions.  Moreover, they tend to focus on how to fix a problem, rather than on finding someone to blame.

==Examples of Liberal Finger-Pointing==

*Former Vice President [[Al Gore]] frequently points the finger at conservatives, industry, and America in general for [[global warming]]—despite the fact that he has repeatedly been observed engaging in the sort of behavior he condemns.

*Liberal Democrats repeatedly condemned President [[George W. Bush]] for economic problems beyond the power of the President to control—but refused to give him credit for the positive results of his policies.

*Democrats were quick to point the finger at Republican ethical lapses as a means of regaining power at all costs.  However, they refuse to take responsibility for the ethical lapses of their own members, disavowing them as the actions of individuals.  This is a hallmark of liberal thought: liberals attempt to portray their opponents as one homogeneous mass with identical beliefs.

==References==
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[[Category:Liberalism]]
[[Category:Liberal Traits]]