Facts often come across as challenges. You are calling the same people allies and the opposition I think. Which is interesting from the start. In my opinion you have to build rapport, trust, and show respect if you want people to listen to your facts. The biggest problem is there are alternate “facts” out there. The saying “facts are facts” isn’t completely true. Statistics are often manipulated and cherry picked, that’s a fact. Look at the statistic about tax refunds now with the Trump changes. Reports everywhere that in average the refunds are down 8.4%, but I haven’t seen one report on TV about how much on average total tax owed was up or down. The latter is the most important number! Bother numbers are worthy of mention though. This is manipulation and distortion on the left leaning side. On fluther, a jelly had an example of people owing more under Trump, but it wasn’t an overall average. If we want facts to be accepted, we have to be willing to look at all facts also, and have a skeptical eye ourselves. Otherwise, the other side can punch holes in our facts and ignore everything. It’s like a negotiation. You have to listen to the wants and needs of the other side to hear what they need and want and to get what you want. First rules of getting understanding is to know your audience, again this has to do with listening. Knowing their fears and their needs. Then you have to speak to your audience. Use their language (although you don’t want to sound fake, I just mean more at their level, which might mean not using lesser used vocabulary, or it might mean using less slang). Stop trying to use the same tactics that haven’t worked over time, and get more creative by knowing people you are trying to sway. I say this about climate change. I think drop the climate change talk in politics and talk about pollution, autoimmune disease, and cancer. Get that crap out of our air by promoting health. Although, when I discussed this the other day with some hard core militant type atheists they said it won’t work because the religious right doesn’t care if they die, or they believe God will take care of it, or that it’s part of God’s plan. I’m not so sure about that. I don’t think most Christians ignore health and just toss it back in God.