NationStates Jolt Archive

In North America opinion polls always tell us that we're all disillusioned and disgusted with the political process - because "all politicians are liars".

But if a politician was completely truthful, would he/she stand any chance of being elected? I don't think so.

It seems to me that the electorate *wants* to be lied to. We can't accept that there are certain basic, unpleasant rules governing all societies - and we want governments that can somehow wave a magic wand and give us a country that doesn't have to follow those rules.

One basic rule is that if you want to live in a safe, healthy, educated and compassionate country with functioning modern infrastructure - you have to pay taxes to support that. Lots of taxes.

Instead, we want to have that kind of a country *without* paying nearly enough taxes to support it. Well, that's just impossible but we just can't face that truth. We want a free ride that just can't happen.

So instead we ask politicians to lie to us. We beg them, "Please tell us you'll cut our taxes way down, and keep everything running just as well as before. And don't get the country further into debt either. If you promise us this, we'll vote for you despite that making no sense".

So politicians are happy to comply, lying to us because that's what we want them to do.Back to top

Why should people want honesty when the ether feels so much safer? While there are a few examples of honest politicians left, most just lug the party platform out and use it as a shield from having to speak the truth.

Thats why Democracy a bad form for Government, but the only one that is acceptable. I think Churchill said something along those lines.

I think the exact quote was "Democracy is the worst form of government in the world except for all the other ones." But yeah, seeing as how I'm horribly cynical and have long since been disillusioned with the system and how most everyone of voting age that I know are idiots, I think that the electorate like being lied to and blindly accepts that truth must lie at the far end of one of the extremes.

Well how do we know if a politician's even being honest with us?

I have before. Shelia Kuehl for CA state senate, Kathleen Connell for Los Angeles mayor, Tom Hayden for LA city council, and Bob Fitrakis for Columbus, OH city council. They're few and far between and only one of those four won but it does happen

Well how do we know if a politician's even being honest with us?

If a politician is not moving his lips.....hes being honest with you.

I didn't know there were any.

oxymoron.

Or in bush's case, just a moron!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA ohhhhhhhhhh I hate myself.

The way I see it, lying is simply an aspect of life. In itself no better or worse than telling the truth. Point in fact a lie doesn't have to be such a bad thing, and can at times be preferred over the truth; a lie doesn't have to have an instand or future detrimental effect to either the liar or the one who is being lied to. Think about the lies we were told as a child by Mom&Dad about Santa, just to give them an excuse to throw a big presents fest. Didn't traumatise anyone, right? And left you with more than a few fond memories to look back upon later in life. :)

So, the problem isn't the lying so much as it is what is being lied about. Its about how far the lies reach. There is obviously a world of difference between telling a lie about unemployment figures and lying about the presence of WMP in say -- Iraq, and as a consequence invading and occupying that same place at a pretty hefty price. And as we all know it is always the citizen who pays the price, always.

It isn't so much the fact that politicians are liars, shit, we all lie from time to time, even if its just a 'little' so-called 'white lie', its the calliber of lies that seem to have become standard in the political scene that is the real issue. And maybe even more the fact that they, the corrupt politicians, gets away with it time and time again. And when dealing with serial liars thats enough to become desillusioned with the political system in a very short time. Which clearly is the case right now in many countries.

As for people wanting to be lied to, to a degree undoubtedly true. But I doubt that people enjoy being lied to to the degree that, for example, the Bush crowd is guilty off.

I agree with the machiavellian notion that its better to be lied to. You can't trust honest people to keep secrets, or effectively govern. Be careful not to confuse it with being a good leader, as honesty has very little to do with morals if you actually think about it. "Yes I did steal his car" is a good example. Because nobody is perfect enough to never have to lie.

I agree with the machiavellian notion that its better to be lied to. You can't trust honest people to keep secrets, or effectively govern. Be careful not to confuse it with being a good leader, as honesty has very little to do with morals if you actually think about it. "Yes I did steal his car" is a good example. Because nobody is perfect enough to never have to lie.

I'd vote for an honest politican, but the problem is, how does one know who is and isn't honest? Especially when you don't know a person personally, and even then, most of us can't tell when someone is lying.

"Richard Nixon - a vote for honest government!"

Just a poster I saw.

I didn't know there were any.

Shh! There are some people who believe in the tooth fairy and have Elvis sightings as well.

Well how do we know if a politician's even being honest with us?

If a politician is not moving his lips.....hes being honest with you.

So what if he's a ventriluquist? :lol:

If politians were honest, anarchism wouldn't be necessary.

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"Beside him is a beautiful androgyne called SWITCH, aiming a large gun at Neo."--Script of The Matrix (I love The Matrix, but that is still funny.)
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Honest politicians? You must be kidding.

Honest politicians? You must be kidding.

Honest politicians? You must be kidding.

Honest politicians? You must be kidding.

((bump))

The only honest politician who comes to mind is Chris Rock's character in the movie "Head of State." And I would vote for a man like that in a heartbeat.

Will People Vote For HONEST Politicians?

I don't know, we've never been given the chance.

locally we just had elections and pretty much nobody voted for these dishonest reasons. The republican party for instance is infested anybody is a republican even if they really aren't and the politicians here are indeed crooks and liars and dishonest. Now the local libertarians I find to be pretty honest if not always they tell you their stance and whats goin on and they don't budge. I recently was in a fun mock election where I got 3rd out of 5 choices I was brutally honest and thus lost alot of votes had I compromised or lied etc.

i wouldn't vote for an honest politician...i'd never be able to trust the bastard.

Who was it who said that the best thing to do whenever you are listening to a politician talking is to ask yourself "why is this bastard lying to me?"

The only honest politician who comes to mind is Chris Rock's character in the movie "Head of State." And I would vote for a man like that in a heartbeat.
Yeah, exactly! Anyone with the campaign slogan "That Ain't Right!" gets my vote. Or anyone who is Chris Rock.