Thursday, September 22, 2011

"On October 6th vote for proper scaling of the Y-axis. Vote Liberal."


For those worried the Ontario election lacked a meaty ballot questions, comes the most exciting statistical controversy since the scrapping of the mandatory long form Census:


There are 13 statistical graphs in the Changebook. Every single one reveals significant errors in labelling, citation, scaling, and proportion. In a few cases, the illustrated data is actually false. In almost all, axes and scaling have been skewed and manipulated, without proper labelling, to exaggerate political points. In some cases, it appears the graphs were simply hand-drawn.

Whatever one thinks of a political party’s platform, voters have the right to expect honesty and transparency in its presentation. The consistent pattern of distortion in the Changebook’s 13 graphs reveals a willingness to sacrifice integrity for political optics. And that approach is consistent with the other controversies that have dogged the Conservative campaign so far.


Yup. 0 for 13. That's 0%. Or, as the Changebook writers would express it:

17 comments:

  1. Well, there is a truthin-ness about it. And that's all that matters, isn't it? That and making sure that foreigners (whether Canadian citizens or not) don't prepare those graphs.

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  2. Jacques Beau Verte3:51 p.m.

    I love the Accurate Graphs/Inaccurate Graphs pie graph!

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  3. Doesn't it just have to be plausible, not necessarily true?

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  4. Michael F8:06 p.m.

    Funny

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  5. I notice they do that with stock graphs too - start the scale at something other than zero.

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  6. Anonymous3:23 p.m.

    Vote Liberal: we've bought the union vote with your money. We pay for "journalists" with your money. We can buy the statisticians, too!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Lies, damn lies, and shady graph makers.

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  8. According to the Straussian ethics, now all the rage among conservatives, they have a "duty" to lie, if it serves the noble end of getting them power

    ReplyDelete
  9. Marc from soccer9:44 p.m.

    The pie chart is awesome. Destined to become internet lore.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous10:20 p.m.

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    ReplyDelete