3 of 58

Write now Article Tools

Why do politicians lie? For many of the same reasons that the average person lies. We lie because the truth is inconvenient or uncomfortable. No one really wants to hear that taxes will have to be raised in order to fund our favorite programs. We want to hear that our pet project will be funded by cutting a program we care little or nothing about. The problem with this stance is, the people who want those programs want to hear that your sacred cow will be slaughtered so theirs will get more fodder.

Another reason politicians lie is in order to gain the support of their so-called traditional base, or to influence one or another perceived interest group. The last election saw repeated examples of this kind of lie. How many times did you hear either the insuation, or outright statement that Barack Obama was in reality a Muslim, or that he'd attended an Islamic school? This bit of mendacity was meant to stoke the fear of radical Islam that infects a large segment of the American population. It was repeated, I believe, in the hope that if said often enough, a large number of voters would believe it and vote out of their fears rather than seek the truth - or even listen to the truth.

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth used this tactic with a degree of success in their slanderous campaign against John Kerry. Logic, and the availability of volumes of facts to the contrary, they drummed their falsehoods so often that thousands took them for truth. The politicians who benefitted from this campaign engaged in a subtle tactic which my grandmother would call the worst form of falsehood - the lie of ommission. They remained silent and let these lies reverberate throughout the country. By their silence, they aided and abetted this vicious campaign of villification. In my book this made them worse than the authors of the orogonal lie.

Finally, I believe politicians lie because they value winning elections above honor. I think many politicians truly believe that they can do good if they can only get elected, therefore, whatever it takes to achieve victory is justified. People don't want to hear inconvient truths, so tell them what they waqnt to hear; get elected, and then do the necessary things. This form of self-delusion is at the root of many of our polotocal problems. It ignores the fact that a foundation built upon a lie can never support a solid structure. Like a house built upon a base of sand, it will never stand straight. A message based upon lies will require more lies.

Politicians lie because they have forgotten a basic truth - at the end of the day, honesty is the best policy.

Learn more about this author, Charles Ray.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Why politicians lie?
We want to hear your view. Write now!