My FIL says: "All politicians lie."

[IdaBriggs]

When he says stuff like that, then he doesn't have to actually be held accountable for Republican "political lies" - you know, like weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, or how trickle down economics doesn't actually work, or any of the other things that can get the blood boiling, especially when Junior's name comes into the conversation.

"All politicians lie."

I love my FIL, so there are things I don't say -

"There you go, showing your Republican side again!"

Ah, the "witty" remarks we all bite back for the sake of family harmony!

[barbtries]

1. for some reason your post reminded me of this song.

someone should do a different version: some lies are bigger than others...

[rock]

2. Dr House says, "Everybody lies."

But many of us can tell the (vast) difference between lying about having an affair and lying to get us into war.

[Snotcicles]

3. Just say ok dad take a week and get back to me with one Al Franken has told. nt

[lamp_shade]

4. It's my observation that people who make such a statement are uninformed by

choice (not misinformed... uninformed) and are usually not registered to vote.

[Number_9]

6. I would amend it to state that...

... all elite level politicians lie.

[Tennessee Gal]

5. That is the ultimate cop out for not wanting to face the

truth about the politicians he is supporting.

You might respond with this:

Yes, at some time they probably all lie. However, there is a difference between lies of omission and commission.

A lie of omission is simply not telling a fact that might be important...like omitting telling someone that you're talking with 20 others...

A lie of commission is when he or she asks you if you're talking with others and you say "No, of course not! You're the only one!"

Lies of omission would include a politician attacking a certain policy proposal, but failing to disclose that at one point he/she had supported the very same policy.

Which would be the one to upset you the most?

Then point out the many lies of both kinds coming from Paul Ryan.

[ananda]

7. They have to create that false equivalency meme..

.. in order to project their own flaws and sins on the opponent.

[B Calm]

8. The "Both Sides Do It" defense is used by republicans

when they know their side is full of hypocrites!

[Arctic Dave]

9. I am seeing that same line all over our local papers chatroom.

They all lie, blah, blah, blah.

They are all crooks, blah, blah, blah.

[veganlush]

11. and we should all smoke

Because everything causes cancer. same strategy here by big tabacky

[n2doc]

12. But some lies are bigger than others

Ryan lies about his entire plan. Obama may lie about bits and pieces, but a lot of what the media call his "lies" are basically taking the most optimistic viewpoint possible on a prediction or estimate. Ryan makes stuff up out of whole cloth. which is worse- overestimating the number of jobs produced by legislation, or saying you are reducing the deficit with a plan that demonstrably makes it worse?