While many people use the phrase "begs the question" as a synonym for
"invites the question" or "raises the question", or to indicate that
"the question really ought to be addressed", begging the question is
actually "the term for a type of fallacy occurring in deductive
reasoning in which the proposition to be proved is assumed implicitly
or explicitly in one of the premises. For an example of this, consider
the following argument: "Only an untrustworthy person would run for
office. The fact that politicians are untrustworthy is proof of this."
Such an argument is fallacious, because it relies upon its own
proposition—in this case, "politicians are untrustworthy"—in order to
support its central premise. Essentially, the argument assumes that
its central point is already proven, and uses this in support of
itself." (from the Wikipedia).
However, George W Bush was defeated in two elections, and we are still
stuck with him, as we most likely are now with the incorrect usage of
this term.
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