Is it naivete when we expect politicians to tell us the truth...

[Flabbergasted]

and then are surprised when they never ever do?


:shrug:

[porphyrian]

1. No, it's self-respect. - n/t

[tekisui]

17. thank you.

[porphyrian]

18. It freaks me out how many people accept being screwed over by those in power.

I don't. You're welcome.

[TwilightGardener]

2. Sometimes they do. Obama tells the truth, I believe.

[sandnsea]

3. Kerry tells the truth

My Congressman, DeFazio, tells the truth. My Senator, Wyden, tells the truth. Sorry yours don't.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

9. Being from Port Orford and talking with both DeFazio and Wyden

In meetings, I believe they tell the truth most of the time and care about the issues they back.

[sandnsea]

10. We're pretty lucky

I agree. Just about any time people post, 'contact your congressman', DeFazio is already on board. The only thing I get upset about is that they don't lead on the old growth enough. I am so tired of hearing loggers whine about the industry, when the truth is they've cut down all the trees. Not my fault there's no new growth for them to harvest.

[libnnc]

4. Should we be less outraged that lives are lost as a result?

:shrug:

[lpbk2713]

5. Nixon didn't, Agnew didn't, RayGun didn't ....

They set the precedent for what to expect out of rethuglicans when they are elected to public office.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. Honest politician = Oxymoron

Occasionally one surfaces - but his/her career is inevitably short lived.

"Trusting" politicians is downright undemocratic.

"The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their interests and his own are the same." Marie Beyle

[cali]

8. Well, Bernie's been in politics for a dog's age

and not only is he truthful, he's a cranky guy who doesn't pander.
Leahy's another one I've never observed to be anything less than truthful.

[superkia]

12. Well said! If more people thought that way, our country would be better off.

[baldguy]

7. There are lies, and then there are lies.

"I did not have sex with that woman," isn't nearly in the same league as "Iraq attacked us on 9/11 and has nuclear weapons."

[undeterred]

11. I think we live in a culture of lies

People take oaths and then lie in court. Lawyers lie, lie, lie.

People in Human Resources are the biggest liars in the universe, but if anyone lies to them its just terrible.

As a Manager in HR told me: "Everyone lies. Get used to it. It's not a big deal."

[ThomWV]

13. Many career Politicians speak honestly mos t of the time

It is not a dishonerable profession nor is it one that is populated entirely by people who lie, cheat, or steal frequently.

[Flabbergasted]

14. Good point. I was referring more to politicians of the upper echelons.

[Solly Mack]

15. ...

I'm amused - and in a mean way - when people say "politicians have to lie to get elected" and they say this like the politician is going to suddenly stop lying once elected...that the politician only lied to get elected and will miraculously stop lying while in office..and people say this also while trying to convince others that since they know they will be lied to during a campaign cycle that the lies are for other people who don't "understand" politics.


I think politicians enjoy that voters expect them to lie...that way voters will justify the lying..as in - since they (the voter) tell themselves that they choose to be lied to that it somehow makes them knowledgeable instead of just plain conditioned to accept the lies and make excuses for them...a mark,a dupe.

People just accept that a politician will lie. I guess it's easier to accept it than to confront and challenge it. To change it. So you tell yourself that's just how the game is played..that that's how it's always been (another favorite excuse that amuses me) It's not so much that that's the way it's always been as it is just what people have always been willing to accept - accept being lied to...and expecting nothing better.(and getting nothing better because of it)

It's not hard to have contempt for people who expect so little and just accept anything

Think about it...how much respect would you have for a person you could lie to over and over again and the person being lied to makes excuses for your lying over and over again?

You wouldn't have any respect for such a person.

If I could repeatedly lie to a person and get that person to defend my lying? LMAO

[Flabbergasted]

16. On the other hand the nature of politics is to please a group of people

Most politicians want to keep their job and therefore have to figure out a way to say what their supporters will like and their detractors will accept. It is not a game of truth and falsehood but making meaningless statements that seem to be meaningful. The Clintons and Reagan were/are exceptional at this.

[Solly Mack]

19. I've always thought the pandering balancing act also displays contempt for people

Ever wonder if politicians laugh about what people will swallow, all the while patting themselves on the back for getting people to swallow it?