Friends, make sure you’re reading.  And make sure you’re reading the “right” journalism.  By “right” I’m talking about sources that are unbiased.  Don’t allow your mind to be taken hostage by materials that are written to influence.  Facts can be twisted, omitted, and exaggerated.  Seek out the neutral experts, even the words spoken by the President or other sources can be clarified by some interpretation or further examination.

Here’s an example: President Trump’s comment to Mika Brzezinski about nuclear weapons, “Let it be an arms race.” can be interpreted in as many as 5 different ways or more.  I wouldn’t have known that, though, it just seems downright scary.  After reading this article:

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2017-01-25/reading-trump

I was able to understand.  President Trumps uses what is called brinkmanship.  It is used in negotiations where the negotiator takes the most absurd and outrageous statement to the brink of disaster. Then when he pulls back, everyone is relieved and takes a breath.  Everyone can live with the obviously lesser, safer, tempered result.  Interesting?  I think so.

Try using Snopes for fact checking: http://www.snopes.com/ and if you have the money, sign up to Foreign Affairs: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/about-foreign-affairs for articles by the experts.  Use your brain, not your emotions, is my recommendation.