The truth shall set you free. Yes. But it probably won’t get you elected (or so it appears), and apparently, it is no longer an expectation for high public office. Everywhere you look, we now have alternative facts, fake news, and Pinocchios. I’ve been around this issue since the 1976 election and know for sure that the truth, from time to time, is stretched even going back to our country's earliest days.
The problem is that, in last year’s election, lying was such a successful political tool that it is now clearly carrying over into post-election time. We already had problems with outside money influence, but now with truth being in short supply, the challenges only grow. We already have far too many citizens totally turned off, and if this continues, it only guarantees that the special interests with money will win more and more often. That is not good for our democracy or for the people.
I reference my ‘76 experience because it was my first time when blatant falsehoods were used against me. I barely survived, but I became Speaker and then Governor so some might say, “no harm no foul.” Certainly, I was very lucky to have run in the years that I did, when truth was a far more regular participant. After that ‘76 squeaker, I remember sharing what I had experienced with a party leader across the aisle. His response was, “Come on John, that is just politics.”
Well, it has never been easy for me to accept that fact. I went so far in later campaigns to have my ads, in advance of using them, taken to the press to show the documentation backing up my message. On reflection, it was a total waste of time, as my opponents didn’t document anything and the press was generally uninterested. Being unable to backup a claim was something I wanted no part of. What I must add is that after the election, truth was expected and usually delivered with support from both sides of the aisle. I fear that is quickly changing and is driven by action at the top, both here in Kansas and now in Washington, D.C.
But when lying gets to the Presidential level and doesn’t stop when the election is over, we now have a problem that should concern us all. Deciding what direction to go, what specifics to implement, is difficult enough when the basic numbers are accepted. Today, elected officials look at the same problem but see totally different things. Our only hope is back to the citizens knowing the difference and making it clear that they will not accept lying as the way this great country operates.
To further amplify the message, I share this article from actor and patriot Sam Waterston, "The Danger of Trump's Constant Lying." If any of this resonates with you, pass it along. Time is of the essence.
The problem is that, in last year’s election, lying was such a successful political tool that it is now clearly carrying over into post-election time. We already had problems with outside money influence, but now with truth being in short supply, the challenges only grow. We already have far too many citizens totally turned off, and if this continues, it only guarantees that the special interests with money will win more and more often. That is not good for our democracy or for the people.
I reference my ‘76 experience because it was my first time when blatant falsehoods were used against me. I barely survived, but I became Speaker and then Governor so some might say, “no harm no foul.” Certainly, I was very lucky to have run in the years that I did, when truth was a far more regular participant. After that ‘76 squeaker, I remember sharing what I had experienced with a party leader across the aisle. His response was, “Come on John, that is just politics.”
Well, it has never been easy for me to accept that fact. I went so far in later campaigns to have my ads, in advance of using them, taken to the press to show the documentation backing up my message. On reflection, it was a total waste of time, as my opponents didn’t document anything and the press was generally uninterested. Being unable to backup a claim was something I wanted no part of. What I must add is that after the election, truth was expected and usually delivered with support from both sides of the aisle. I fear that is quickly changing and is driven by action at the top, both here in Kansas and now in Washington, D.C.
But when lying gets to the Presidential level and doesn’t stop when the election is over, we now have a problem that should concern us all. Deciding what direction to go, what specifics to implement, is difficult enough when the basic numbers are accepted. Today, elected officials look at the same problem but see totally different things. Our only hope is back to the citizens knowing the difference and making it clear that they will not accept lying as the way this great country operates.
To further amplify the message, I share this article from actor and patriot Sam Waterston, "The Danger of Trump's Constant Lying." If any of this resonates with you, pass it along. Time is of the essence.
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