Are Lies Running Rampant?

Pinocchio

     I decided that at a time when there is no imminent upcoming Election I could write a blog without it seeming to be about a particular person.  Unfortunately, there are a great many examples of political speakers that stray from the truth.

You may remember the evening a politician charged with bad behavior had rushed up to be in line to shake hands with important people.  Senator Mitt Romney was so offended by Representative Santos having crowded his way to the front in order to be able the reach out and shake hands with dignitaries passing by that Mitt called him out, saying "You do not belong here."  At that time, Santos was facing several investigations into campaign finance infractions. In the past, politicians would have been promptly removed by their own parties for far less wrongful things.  Why has that changed?

Sadly, it was Senator Romney, who had once been his party's nominee for President of the United States, who seemed to have felt out of step with his voters or his party, and he chose not to run again.

I chose this picture of Pinocchio because he was a naughty boy who told lies over and over.  The lesson of the story was that Pinocchio learned his lesson about lying and got to be real little boy.  The picture at the top of this blog seems more in keeping with today.  Pinocchio still has his big nose, obviously not having learned his lesson in order to become a real boy.  Yet people are rushing to shake his hand.     

    Today, integrity is often put aside.  Voters have grown to accept that politicians lie, even going so far as to accept that lying "is just a tool" or excusing liars by assuming that "all politicians lie."  In fact, if a politician is caught in a lie, their defense is often that "everyone does it."  Perhaps there have always been liars in politics, but the founding fathers would have been embarrassed by being caught in a lie.

    Today's politicians seem unable or unwilling to avert falsehoods, having done it for so long that it is just part of their speaking style.  Others know they are using falsehoods, but they choose to balance its effectiveness.  Will the lie gain more than adhering to the truth?

    Sadly, those who study truthfulness of those we elect have found that both sides lie.  Bill Adair, the founder of Polite Fact stated in his book, Beyond the Big Lie, that there was a concerning amount of dishonesty and exaggeration by both parties. Neither party can be entirely proud of their credibility record.  Research has found that when voters are shown that their candidate lies, they are displeased, but that does not necessarily reduce the voter's support or change their vote.

    All of this is hard for me to understand.  I realize that politicians need to be elected in order to serve the nation and telling voters what they do not want to hear may not get their vote, especially if their opposition is willing to lie to get the vote.  Have we voters forced candidates to lie, knowing that hearing the truth may not get them elected?

    Mitt Romney chose not to run again.  If we voters truly want candidates who protect and defend our precious constitution, we cannot elect those who do not hold the constitution a treasure admired by the rest of the world for generations.  We cannot believe that our little vote isn't important.  It is!  Candidates don't lie if they believe that voters dislike electing liars.  Apparently, our voting has taught them that lies work!