Posted on 05/19/2003 6:57:11 AM PDT by dead
After intensive research, a British scientist has concluded that lying is an important part of politics.
The study, conducted by Glen Newey, a political scientist at Britain's University of Strathclyde, was described in Britain's Observer newspaper.
"Politicians need to be more honest about lying," he told the newspaper.
According to Mr Newey, whose findings were published by the government-funded Economic and Social Research Council, voters expect to be lied to in certain circumstances, and sometimes even require it.
"Politics should be regarded as less like an exercise in producing truthful statements and more like a poker game," he said.
"And there is an expectation by a poker player that you try to deceive them as part of the game."
Mr Newey said lying by politicians can occasionally be entirely justified, such as when national security is at risk, and the public even has a "right to be lied to" in cases where they do not expect to be told the whole truth, such as during a war.
But the main cause of lying is increased probing by the public into areas that the government would rather not discuss candidly.
If voters only asked fewer questions, politicians would tell them fewer lies.
Bill Clinton famously lied about his affair with Monica Lewinsky, while earlier philandering US presidents never had to lie about their affairs, because nobody ever asked.
"When journalists or parliamentary colleagues start to probe at that area which the government wants to keep secret, you are more likely to be pushed further and further toward the territory of lying," Mr Newey said.
Reuters
More "they all do it" stuff keeps bubbling up. I can't help but wonder, what dark dirty secret about Clinton is about to surface?
A newly discovered former intern? Monica had an abortion? Bill did a boy? Who knows? But something's coming...
Similarly, when I was a kid my parents asked all sorts of intrusive questions. They should've known that this would only push me toward a lifestyle of lying, and refrained from asking the questions in the first place.
Vindication!
That's precisely what I thought when I saw the photo. What's funny is that he has the voters lying to themselves. What an accomplishment!
People with an honest nature often can't stand political office. They hate the lying and deception and the insincerity of it all and leave office after a relatively few terms.
Other US Presidents weren't sued in federal court for sexual harrassment, either.
And oh yes, one other thing -- Bill Clinton's lies were under oath.
Now it is all OK and no one needs to feel bad about being forced to lie.
[...]
"Politicians need to be more honest about lying," he told the newspaper.
Someone wanna help me clean the coffee off of my monitor and keyboard??
Stop the presses! Lying is an important part of politics! I'll bet they got a government grant for their "intensive research".
"Politicians need to be more honest about lying" -- that's one for the quote file.
Perhaps something is, or perhaps it is just part of the continuing effort to rehabilitate the slug. He has future ambitions of some sort (UN?) and he is looking pretty bad in comparison to Bush. I think he may just be looking for forgiveness for being a slug to regain acceptability. (Acceptability, not respectability) We know the left doesn't care as long as he can help them gain power but the right needs to have their compassionate nature appealed to so as to not prevent Slick's reemergence.
You also have to either lay it all out on the table or concede (fold) when all is said and done.
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