As always, it is important to understand that perception and narrative outweigh reality by orders of magnitude. Data-based arguments pale in comparison and get basically no traction.

Another reason why Democrats lose the communication war--because they are providing data that "everyone knows" is wrong. No one wants data that contradicts what they believe and raises questions about what they are doing. People SAY they do. Some few people actually mean it. Usually people in the hard sciences, but they have their political/ideological issues as well.

"Everybody knows" that cities are hell pits of crime and disease and All Bad Things--at least, MAGA and a lof of people who have never been to a city know that, anyway. I have discussed what is behind that elsewhere, but in simple terms in is an identity issue.

People want data, but they want the RIGHT data. The data that tells them they are right and that they should do what they want. They will cherry pick or misreprsent exist accurate data to do that or, when all else fails, make shit up.

The data you do not like is wrong, flawed. The continuing argument is that the data you have is incomplete or skewed. Particularly from people who are at the ends of the political horseshoe because they have trust issues.

The reality is that the data is usually flawed or incomplete--BUT unless it is fatally compromised or incomplete, it is what you have to work with. Most crime data we have is NOT fatally dlawed or incomplete. It is not perfect or complete. No data ever is, TBH.

But people will try to use that argument to ignore data (had an argument in that vein this morning with a colleague).

Truth is always in competition with what "everyone knows." Truth is always in competition with pleasing narrative or "trusted sources." Trust is identity based.

The key is finding the way to counteract that. This is where Democrats fail badly a lot of time.

You have to tell good, engaging STORIES to build trust and belief. You have to leverage what "everyone knows" and make the turn to what the data says.

And, in the end, you cannot combat misinformation in people who will not or cannot be bothered to look outside their dfe, trusted spaces. Not directly.

Right now you need stories about how ineffective the whole DC NG thing is. Examples of where it has led to failures, injuries, deaths. Misallocation of resources. Ignoring "real" crime. You need some mockery and sarcasm.

Data is not going to win the fight unless you work it into the right narrative that reaches the persuadable and it is the narrative that actually wins the fight.