Timber Contact Lenses

Slate's Will Saletan takes aim at pols and pundits who act as though Republicans have a monopoly on lying and cheating.

Comments

[Jeff Smith]

This is news?

Politics *is* lying. You can't get elected to
public office without lying. Many major
government programs are nothing more than
institutionalized lies - social security being
the biggest example.

Politicians even lie about lying by dressing
it up and calling it spin. It is just all
lies.

Anyone who thinks this is news paid too much
attention in their high school civics class
or reads too much David Broder (two activities
which are very close substitutes).

Jeff

P.S. As an aside, this post relates to why I
miss Mike Lynch's missives from DC so much.
He simply went to government functions and
accurately described what was going on. Not
only is doing so usually hilariously funny
(I often have trouble keeping a straight face
at government things I go to as a participant)
but nothing is more damaging to the state than
simply stating the truth. If you find some
rich person with extra money, a special grant
to bring Mike back out of the hell of being
a financial advisor would be a wonderful thing.

[Citizen]

Got a link to anything Mike Lynch has done? Or a place for me to start looking?

[Jeff Smith]

Citizen:

Check here under alumni:

http://reason.com/Bio/mtstaff.shtml

Jeff

[Kevin Carson]

Clinton's "reason, evidence and experiment" comment was laughable. When it comes to emotional appeals, both parties are equally guilty. With the Democrats, it's hysterical appeals "for the children" or "our seniors," coupled with the non sequitur "well, we've got to do SOMETHING!" The Republicans, on the other hand, are guilty of shutting off their critical thought processes when patriotism or patriotic symbolism are invoked, and of ignoring the difference between "our country" and the policies of the U.S. government.

As far as rhetorical styles go, despite what Ann Coulter claimed in Slander, the Republicans do lean more toward angry, red-meat demagoguery. The Democrats' failing, rather than harshness, is smugness ("Democrats care"). Every time I see that self-satisfied smirk on Hillary's face, I'd like to wipe it off with a belt sander.

[Ray]

Kevin is partially correct on the "angriness" of the GOP.

To correct the statement, real Joe Sixpack Republicans are more likely to blood your nose if you burn a flag in front of them but that doesn't qualify as angry.

The Left tend towards a general malaise that erupts into anger fairly easily while the Republicans are more likely to grit their teeth, complain "what's this world coming to" and go home and write their congressman if they do anything.

The examples are to many to list but for one; Mary Landrieu has not been asked to resign over her "you still couldn't afford Georgetown Day" remarks. The Right is generally more logical, they realize this statement makes Landrieu a hypocrite of grand proportions but they also realize that she's probably not a racist but just an elitist, limousine liberal.

To think of an example of this kind of stupidity from the Right and the consequences they faced, just think Trent Lott.

[Anonymous]

Rule No. 1: Politicians lie - shamelessly

[Fred App]

OK, so politicians on both sides of aisle lie. That shouldn't make it acceptable, or that we shouldn't protest when it happens. If we think it's acceptable for our elected officials to lie to us because "everyone does it," then we deserve whatever screwing we get.

[joe]

Kevin - I can buy that.

Ray - real Joe Sixpack Republicans don't control the party or the discourse, and aren't the target of Franken's or Conason's attacks. Unless you'd characterize Delay, Coulter, and Limbaugh as stoic, teeth-gritting, letter-writing types.

[HH]

Coulter and Limbaugh control the party? They're really losing control in that case...