[Joe 6-pack]

"Whatever they are protesting is irrelevant to our decisions. Our decisions are based on the totality" of the circumstances, he said."

That is a non sequitur. The "totality of the circumstances," by definition, include the subject of the protest. If they are irrelevant to the NPS decision, than they are not basing their decisions on the totality of the circumstances. If they base their decisions on the totality of the circumstances, then the subject ofthe protest has to be considered in their decision...

[Steely Tom]

"Whatever they are protesting is irrelevant to our decisions. Our decisions are based on the totality" of the circumstances, he said."

I think "totality of the circumstances" means "guidance we get from the political people in the White House."

[alexander_busek]

That is a non sequitur.

It's worse than a non sequitur ("it does not follow"). It's a self-contradiction.

Regards,