by R. M. Gardner

Created on: February 18, 2009

I believe that politicians can tell the truth, although the better question is do they have to? I would like to think that our elected officials, Democrat and Republican alike, are honest, hard working public servants that have a desire to better the country through debate and discourse. Naive as that thought may be, the real problem is that's exactly what they're supposed to be but hardly anyone really believes it!

So why does this topic even have an opportunity to come up? I guess it's the common perception that politicians have a propensity for lying. But what proof do we have? Do we see it on the T.V. news every night, is it reported in the newspapers? Unless we're face to face with a politician, or anyone else for that matter, we really have no idea whether or not they're lying. The real problem isn't with the politicians, it's the lens in which what they say and do is filtered; you guessed it, our media.

Like I said before, unless you hear or see what a politician says or does, you really have no idea what transpired, you're just taking the word of the journalist reporting the piece. That politician might be the most honest and forthright individual on the face of the planet but if the journalist is incompetent or carries an agenda, you'll never know the complete truth. Of course the flip side is also true, we might have a completely dishonest politician, but if the journalist is favorable to that person you'll see nothing but favorable reporting.

A clear example of a media free pass is how Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) can claim that 500,000,000 people will lose their jobs if President Obama's stimulus plan is not adopted? (Hannity, S. Interview with Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingridge, Feb. 2009). Current estimates from the US Census Bureau have the entire U.S. population at a slightly over 305,000,000. One of three possible scenarios can explain Ms. Pelosi's comment; she simply made a gaff, is incompetent, or she lied.

Admittedly this is an example of one and not particularly fair to the media community or Ms Pelosi. I only used this example because it's a situation that I have personally heard and have decent recall on. I heard the sound bite and I looked on the internet to see what the estimated U.S. population is supposed to be.

Up to this point I don't know which of the possible scenarios is actually true. Perhaps if our media held Ms. Pelosi accountable for her statement, I might. Left uncorrected this inaccurate or negative behavior is reinforced as acceptable and of course we end up with the situation we're faced with today; half truths, down right lies, and the basis of this article. If our media continues to allow this behavior to go unchecked what lie, mistruth, or inaccuracy will we hear tomorrow?

I want to be clear that I don't contend that Republicans are more honest than Democrats, far from it. I believe both have the same propensity for truth and lying. The only reason this example is given is because it's something I've personally heard and has therefore passed my ultimate truth test, but what motive do you have to believe me? The simple truth is you don't. I have nether earned your trust nor through exposure won you over with my exceptional journalistic skills. The same can also be said for most of what we read in newspapers or see on T.V. Politicians can lie and politicians can tell the truth, but with the current ethical and professional challenges facing our media community how are we supposed to recognize the truth even when we see it?

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