Lethal questions

From a tweet, Thomas Sowell presents three questions which he claims most leftist propositions fail to address.

1. Compared to what? 2. At what cost? 3. What hard evidence do you have?

 I do not disagree.

But these three questions are actually a pretty good filter for most propositions of any origin.  It is true that the left have more fabulist thinking and therefore the questions are especially lethal to their imaginings but that is a consequence of bad thinking.

Sowell is a marvelous communicator and part of his effectiveness is his pithiness.  I would muddy the waters by expanding the list to make it more accurate.  Sacrificing succinctness for precision.

1. Compared to what? 

2. At what cost to whom? 

3. For what benefit for whom? 

4. What hard evidence do you have?

5. How confident can you be in the causal mechanisms? 

6. With what probability of success?