[Speed Gibson,
Thursday July 27, 2006 at 1:41am]
On Lying
My favorite blogger from the loyal opposition Flash went a bit far in characterizing U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kennedy's daughter as lying about her father's record. Flash was about 95% right, but he went too far and admitted same in his next post. That's why many of us on the right read and respect Flash.
When you call someone out as a liar, in my book you had better have the goods on him or you yourself are the liar. Few cases in politics are ever that solid, such as with our Minnesota Senate Majority Leader, Dean Johnson. The proof? Johnson's own confessions (Yecke, Supreme Court prejudgments) or conflicting accounts (partial shutdown). Governor Tim Pawlenty's claim that his "health impact fee" is not a tax was also a lie, as I need nothing beyond a dictionary to prove so.
That's why this "Bush lied!" rhetoric is so pointless. Even if you believe it, where's the proof that he knowingly, purposefully misled us? I have heard any number of interviews where such claimants are asked to give an example, and we're still waiting.
Turning it around, Senator Becky Lourey no doubt sincerely believes that government-run health care would be an improvement. History gives her no quarter on this, but I'm not going to call her a liar. Foolish, yes. Liar, no. Let the debate begin.
When you call someone out as a liar, in my book you had better have the goods on him or you yourself are the liar. Few cases in politics are ever that solid, such as with our Minnesota Senate Majority Leader, Dean Johnson. The proof? Johnson's own confessions (Yecke, Supreme Court prejudgments) or conflicting accounts (partial shutdown). Governor Tim Pawlenty's claim that his "health impact fee" is not a tax was also a lie, as I need nothing beyond a dictionary to prove so.
That's why this "Bush lied!" rhetoric is so pointless. Even if you believe it, where's the proof that he knowingly, purposefully misled us? I have heard any number of interviews where such claimants are asked to give an example, and we're still waiting.
Turning it around, Senator Becky Lourey no doubt sincerely believes that government-run health care would be an improvement. History gives her no quarter on this, but I'm not going to call her a liar. Foolish, yes. Liar, no. Let the debate begin.