(Assertion which simply ignores any evidence not supporting the arguer's pre-decided conclusion)

"Federal arts funding wastes tax money on bad--even obscene--art and on an inefficient bureaucracy; you can't convince me that there's anything good about such funding at all."

"God said it; I believe it; that settles it."

(Assertion which recognizes the existence of evidence supporting an alternative explanation, but which tries to "explain it away" or otherwise deny it instead of adapting one's position to it)

"You can talk about 'free markets' all you want; I just know that a really smart person running the economy is better than letting everything happen by accident."

"Well, yes, it's true that we don't get anything back from all the tax money we send to developing nations . . . but we should feel good about helping other people."

(Assertion which changes the listener's focus from defending his counterargument to defending himself personally)

"Well, of course you'd be against abortion; you're probably frigid."

"Tell me, have you actually thought about this issue, or do you just parrot everything Rush Limbaugh and the NRA tell you to say?"

(Assertion which attempts to discredit the listener, and thus the listener's counterargument)

"You can't know what it's like to be a woman, so your opinions about abortion are worthless."

"Your arguments in favor of privatizing the FDA are interesting, but you own some medical stocks, don't you?"

(Assertion which attempts to discredit the listener's counterargument by charging the listener with hypocrisy)

"You're in no position to tell me to stop taking drugs; I saw you smoke a joint once."

"OK, so we took a bunch of campaign money from foreign agents and religious groups in return for White House access. But look what the other guys did!"

(Assertion against an easy-to-dismiss counterargument the listener never made)

"In other words, your support for nuclear power actually means you favor letting more people die of cancer."

"I don't know why you're for tax cuts, unless you think the rich have it too tough in this country. Why does your policy call for helping the rich get richer?"

(Assertion against the weakest parts of a listener's counterargument)

"So what if there's an ozone hole at the South Pole? Nobody lives there."

"I couldn't be a Catholic. Do those people really think the Pope is infallible?"

(Assertion which tries to hide the weakness of a position by drawing attention to some side issue)

"Oh, cheer up. Things could be worse--you could be unemployed."

"You're against abortion? Well, what about legalizing marijuana, are you against that, too?"

(Assertion used to avoid having to directly address a counterargument)

"What's the big deal about taking life? Take my life--please!"

"Oh, so you think the Supreme Court was wrong, huh? Gee, I didn't realize we had an expert on the Constitution among us. So how much do you pay your law clerks, Your Eminence?"

(Assertion that a strong but objective counterargument is a personal attack)

"Every time I express how I feel, you jump on me!"

"Why are you always picking on me?"