[Gianni]

But it always starts out with a gratuitous assertion on their part which they presume to be true, valid, and substantiated simply by virtue of having been stated, of course, by them.

Once you accept everything that they say as axiomatic, the rest is crystal clear. absurd semantical games of denial

Yes, well we know that sometimes the word states means provinces, territories, fiefdoms, yadda yadda. A simple case of man perverting language to fit his agenda.

[GOPcapitalist]

Once you accept everything that they say as axiomatic, the rest is crystal clear.

Precisely. It is the old "Lincoln is perfect therefore what his critics say is wrong, and since his critics are all wrong he must be perfect" game that they play. It's wholly circular onto itself, but accept any one point in the circle and you can navigate to all of the others.