Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The hypocrisy, it burns

Are all politicians liars?  I'm not sure I want to believe that.  I understand that politicians can't be as forthright as I prefer.  It's why I'd never be elected should I ever run for office.  I tend to tell the truth in all its bold glory, often with my Is-this-nice Filter out of order.  The problem with the truth is that there's always someone (often many someones) that it applies to in an unfavorable way.

I find it more than frustrating that many people can point in the general direction of the state capitol or Washington, D.C., and say "there be liars."  Of course, I find it particularly astounding when those same people will then spout the same BS that certain politicians fabricate to get elected and to spread the general political hate around.  Wait...what?  You just said all politicians are liars, and now you're trying to fill me up with bull I've only ever heard in political conversations originating from one of those lying politicians?!?  The hypocrisy, it burns.

Unfortunately, in my small experience, all politicians may not be liars, but they certainly aren't very forthright with the truth.  Truth and fact can be bendy sometimes, and it seems to be a characteristic that successful politicians take advantage of.  I, personally, can buy that sometimes the end justifies the means...but within limits.  When a bendy fact becomes a lie, you've crossed the line.

I met up with my state senator a few weeks ago who told me that the state Department of Natural Resources manages school trust lands (fact).  He told me that that relationship resulted in a conflict of interest (possibly true, but must be borne out by facts).  He told me that Minnesota's school trust lands don't make a lot of money (relative, but not a lie).  He told me that Minnesota's management of school trust lands is probably (bendy word) the worst of any state in the nation (getting pretty bendy, here, even without having to do much research--probably pushing a lie).  He told me that 95% of the income from school trust lands goes back into management of those lands (lie!).  He told me that he introduced a bill (fact) that fixes this (bendy!).  And it should be passed (opinion) because the land doesn't belong to us (REALLY bendy), but the children (oh geez, you're playing the emotions game with the wrong person, buddy *eyeroll*).

You see, the situation above really only has one outright lie.  But the rest is awfully bendy truth, opinions, and emotional manipulation.  The resulting message is a lie.  While he might believe it, I'm not dumb enough to.  I see this for what it is: an attempt to scratch some backs by putting people who might profit into a position to take advantage of state resources for development.  (Note: The media has outright failed in looking at this legislation.  The existence of it has been in the news, including Minnesota Public Radio, but not a single one of them has done anything but report the existence of the bill.  Not a single shred of investigation into the politicians' claims has been done outside a "community voice" article found here: http://www.minnpost.com/community-voices/2012/03/exchanging-school-trust-lands-isnt-sake-our-children .  Media fail.)

I also almost wish they were lying.  But the truth is, I can forgive a person for organically deficient, but not so much for being deliberately ignorant.  After all, the challenged person can be willing to learn.

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