“There has to be some broad unification theory that explains it. Any thoughts?”
Significant decline in a common public morality, previously based on Judeo-Christian tenets. The major media has significantly less of it than the general public. Political-moral relativism has filled the void to keep the public in line. Hence, there is no public shame, no public penalty for lying if one espouses certain political (demonkrap) beliefs because that would undermine the group who are consolidating and grabbing power. Media shaming and condemnation is used, even if untrue, to destroy one’s political (non-demonkrap) enemies - real or perceived. Just ask an innocent, non-threatening teenager - like one wearing the MAGA hat in front of a guy banging on some kind of instrument in DC.
I agree that moral decline explains why present day people lie more than past generations.
But that doesn’t explain why Democrat narratives in particular are always the opposite of the truth. Clearly, it is because they are Leftists - so the real question is: what is it about Leftist (Progressive, Marxist) positions that cause them to oppose the truth?
My theory is that the Democrat Party is fundamentally the opposition party. The Progressives, Marxists, and other movements that make up what we call the Left are all those who are unhappy with the established “rules of the game”, namely the Constitution, the founding principles of liberty, free enterprise, limited government embodied therein.
Think of it as a large neighborhood party - a pig roast - a swimming pool - a rock cover band playing under a tent - a nice summer breeze. People are swimming, playing horseshoes, etc.. everything is going fine, everyone there seems to be getting along and having fun.
But then a bunch of malcontents show up who see it differently - they don’t like the people there, they don’t like pig roasts, they don’t like rock music or swimming pools.
The truth is, there is nothing morally wrong happening - it is just not what these malcontents would prefer to be happening - but if these malcontents were to tell the truth and say “there’s nothing actually wrong, we would just prefer the party he ended and everyone go home” - the party people would just say “sorry you do t like it - just go someplace else.”
So the malcontents can’t simple tell the truth. So they start making shit up: The pool is dangerous and a waste of water. The pig roast is animal cruelty and not carbon friendly. The rock music infringes copyrights. The property is not zoned for a gathering of this size. There are not enough minorities and transgenders represented. Etc., etc..
Sorry for the long analogy — I guess I’m saying Leftists lie because they want to change things when there is nothing wrong - so they have to make up problems to justify the change.