Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Fun with veracity
We really must resist the temptation to believe what any candidate says or promises. I doubt anyone can cite specific promises any candidate ever made and delivered. If there are any, I'll be dutifully awestruck and will try to raise a zillion dollars for the charity of their choice. In that vein, keep in mind that nothing candidates say about their own positions or about anyone else's is entirely truthful.
As she says she did, Palin did reject the "bridge to nowhere" but after she'd concluded it wasn't a good idea and realized it wasn't getting funding from Washington.
Obama said he would discontinue Bush's tax cuts but (a) they will expire in 2010 anyway unless they're re-voted and (b) now he says he won't discontinue them after all.
Biden says he's pro choice but he also says he believes life begins at conception. He says he won't "impose his personal views on others," but how could anyone keep such a belief altogether out of their public life? After all, if he believes life begins at conception that means he thinks people having abortions are committing murder and no one with any compassion could accept that comfortably. Is it 'justifable homicide' or something, to him? Those of us who aren't sure when life begins have it easier on that score, at least.
Palin says she's pro life but also says she's proud of her daughter's decision to have her baby. Doesn't one make a decision when one has a choice?
And so on. More fun with truth in the coming days and eight (short) weeks before the election.
Not that any position or belief means much since what a candidate says is mainly intended to win votes. And if we're smart we'll vote for the candidates whose advisers and factoti seem most likely to run the country in the way we wish it to be run, not for the candidates whose words are unfailingly truthful, since that would mean we couldn't vote for anyone.
And so on. More fun with truth in the coming days and eight (short) weeks before the election.
Not that any position or belief means much since what a candidate says is mainly intended to win votes. And if we're smart we'll vote for the candidates whose advisers and factoti seem most likely to run the country in the way we wish it to be run, not for the candidates whose words are unfailingly truthful, since that would mean we couldn't vote for anyone.
Labels: 2008 election, reflections
< home >