July 31, 2007
The Fog of Political War (Bob Franken)
Here's the difference, I suppose: A lie, according to the dictionary, is "a gross falsification." Deception is "falsification."
So I guess the question of whether the nation's chief law enforcement officer is a liar or deceiver comes down, appropriately, to what the meaning of "gross" is.
Whatever. Whether it's the intentionally misleading testimony of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, or the tortured formulation of President Clinton as he too dealt with perjury accusations, those are just two examples of the clever truth-avoidance that Americans now perceive as commonplace, no more trustworthy than commercial advertising or its close cousin, the political campaign.
So what's the big deal? I appreciate the question. The big deal is that a belief in our institutions has been the glue necessary to hold together our society. It's not an exaggeration to say that corrosive, justified cynicism has dissolved much of that trust and we're witnessing our country pull apart as a result.
Not only that, but much of it is shameless. Cleverness has so often blatantly replaced honesty that our leaders pride themselves on their ability to misrepresent for some "greater good," like national security, or whatever they believe is more important than being straightforward.
Look no further than voter apathy as evidence that we-the-people have decided that there's no use even bothering to participate anymore. After a while, anyone gets tired of being treated like a damned fool.
That's poison to a democracy. And that is the truth.
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I couldn't agree more Mr. Franken; I'm personally sick of all the lying. They've given Mr. Gonzales a week to shame him into telling the truth. If that doesn't work, they'll have no choice but to prosecute. What a disgrace for an Attorney General.
Comment by Derek D. — July 31, 2007 @ 2:13 pm
If lying becomes a real problem what will the politicians do for a living?
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — July 31, 2007 @ 5:27 pm
From the Democrats' viewpoint, it's bad for Gonzales to lie but okay for Clinton to have done it.
Comment by John Simmons — August 1, 2007 @ 7:46 am
I can't stand the Senate version of the constitution. We went through this with President Clinton. And he lied to us. Senator Clinton couldn't remember. Also since the Dems were elected to power we have over 300 investigations of this adminstration over everything from abcess teeth in New Orleans to who knew what in and when in the Plane case. Yet nobody is charged with leaking her name.
Comment by Leonard B — August 1, 2007 @ 11:14 am
In response to Mr. Simmons comment: Please Mr. Simmons grow up. We cannot have lying at this or any other level.
Comment by Arlene Siprelle — August 1, 2007 @ 11:52 am
So that's it every time Gonzo is caught lying, the Republican mantra is that Clinton did it too. Come on and grow up. It is about the rule of law (isn't that what you Repubs used to say) and Gonzo being the face of the law has got to go.
Comment by Mike Coleman — August 1, 2007 @ 3:13 pm