This column extends the discussion in a previous column, Prove It.
Imagine a seesaw with baskets on the seats at opposite ends. One is filled with evidence admissible in law courts, and the other is filled with possibilities in the form of unsubstantiated theories and beliefs. The imbalance between these baskets lies at the center of what I term ‘the Great Asymmetry’.
Between now and the mid-term elections, President Trump and his supporters are likely to repeat three beliefs: (a) he won the 2020 Presidential election; (b) U.S. elections are rigged (if he loses); and (c) we need more federal control of elections and related laws and protocols. The Constitution assigns primary control of these to state governments.
Imagine weighing the contents of the baskets.
The Evidence Basket contains the certified results of those elections, plus any official recounts and courtroom verdicts upholding them and the related evidence, sworn testimony of first-hand observers, and other items available for further examination. Since each item in the basket is subject to challenges by adversaries in open court, trial transcripts might belong in this basket.
The Possibilities Basket contains unsupported claims, rumors, suspicions, beliefs, and theories. Evidence could surface that would support some of them, but so far there are no convincing courtroom transcripts in the basket. In a recent prime-time speech to the nation, the President recited a series of such possibilities. According to one political analyst (among many), this address is a preview of the Republican Party’s strategy leading up to the mid-term election.
One example from Georgia is a video of a truck belonging to a paper shredding company parked outside a government building. In his telling of the event, a conservative Republican attorney claimed that ballots were being shredded in the building, constituting “evidence of voter fraud”. In responding to this allegation, election officials stated that shredding unused forms and envelopes is standard after each election.
The people who put their suspicions in the basket are certain they represent the truth and convincing evidence. They will point to the many sources of suspicion and theories, and the great number of items in their basket.
It is far simpler and easier to say that something was possible than it is to prove that something is true.
Simply stated, talk is cheap.
The Possibilities Basket can also contain unproven allegations against people. For example, two election workers in Georgia accused of tampering with votes were subjected to death threats. They were vindicated in court, but they live under a cloud of suspicion and threats. History has too many examples of denunciations made by anonymous informants, neighbors, and even family members.
Proving a negative (i.e., that something didn’t happen) is extremely difficult. The stain left by false accusations can spread through a community or nation and is difficult to remove.
In addition to being cheap, talk is legal. We should all be grateful that the First Amendment protects our right to free speech, including irresponsible and damaging speech. Nevertheless, there are carve-outs that penalize certain types of speech (see Sources).
What drives people to contribute suspicions and denunciations without substantiation? Resentment of, and grievances against, another political, socioeconomic, or racial group are two causes that have been studied. Unresolved grudges can persist for decades, even centuries. U.S. and world histories are filled with examples.
How can we identify unproven possibilities and denunciations and stop the damage they’re doing to our faith in elections and institutions of government? I expect that during the campaign, Republican candidates will be asked one specific question: “Who won the 2020 Presidential election?”
I hope that voters will pay attention to their answers. If candidates avoid the question or respond by listing possibilities or theories, the rule of law is not on their side.
David Schindel is a retired research scientist who has lived on the shore since 2023. He studied evolution and how it’s reflected in the fossil record. Taught at Yale, worked for the National Science Foundation, and led several international projects for the Smithsonian.
Sources
Liar’s Kingdom: How to Stop Trump’s Deceit and Save America by Andrew Weissman, 5/19/2026, explores laws in other countries against making false public statements of suspicion or denunciation, and how they could become law in the U.S.