MUSIC FOR THE SOUL (under construction while Charles learns more about HTML)

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Liar Liar Pants On Fire

What is a lie? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a lie as "an untrue statement made with the intent to decieve." So, Rocky Anderson keeps saying that Bush has lied to the American people. If he did, then so did a lot of other politicians at the time, and they should all be impeached (or perhaps just drug out into the street and shot). But we can't prove Bush's intent. How do you do that?!?! You would have to assume that if "X" number of people advised him about a certain action, and he went against that advice, that he was lying. And that's a huge assumption.

Rocky Anderson (I shudder every time I use those words) also keeps saying that Bush misrepresented the American people. Now, that's fine. There is a BIG different between misrepresenting the American people and lying even though he seems to use them synonymously. But is misrepresenting the American people even a bad thing? It certainly isn't impeachable. A quick parable.

I look at it this way. A democratic family takes a safari. The kids want to go roll around in the mud with the crocodiles. The parents say "No." The kids get mad and yell at them for misrepresenting them. The parents don't give in. Is this a good thing?

Bush has more access to more information than any of us could dream of, and more than that, certainly to his dismay much of it contradicts itself. The sources of information have biases of their own. His is a job for which I have respect. Sometimes I think the American people are, in general, a bunch of whiny, cowardly, and uninformed bawl-babies. So, do I really care if Bush misrepresents the majority of the American people? Certainly not if it's truly what he thinks is right and he seems to be a good person. If we could prove that he was far from the Spirit through sexual immorality or other acts, then I would say perhaps misrepresention is questionable.

4 comments:

BJ said...

well... you have some interesting thoughts. Personally, I think Bush is a dimwit, and a nincompoop. I think he has been a poor president. Not because he is a bad person or anything... but just because he lacks the intelligence, and talent necessary to lead a nation. Unfortunately, those who have those skills and are honorable people as well rarely want anything to do with being president. And so we tend to get two types of people... Smart scoundrels, or dumb nice guys. Neither type is going to run the country well. And if we did get one who was a potential idea president... I'm not sure the country would vote for him/her. Such is life unfortunately. We are doomed to mediocrity.

Charles said...

I understand the denotation of "dimwit", but not "nincompoop". I realize that Bush is not the smartest man in the world, but I don't think he lacks the intelligence to lead the nation. After all, Mickey Mouse could run the nation if he had the right henchmen.

BJ said...

That is a BIG 'if'. And even then, Bush must have the intelligence to sort out the good advice from the bad. Where is King Solomon when you need him?!

Jimboborazzala said...

Well, Charles me lad, people claim they can point to "the intent to deceive" through various sources that said that there were no weapons of mass destruction to begin with but that the Administration pretty much had them create enough evidence to make it seem like they existed. That's the claim, and there's the "intent" and the "proof". So, the "lie" claim is a justifiable claim. As to whether it's true is a different story. But your post seemed to just attack the word Rocky the Flying Squirrel used. As for "misrepresented", is he trying to say that Bush is a bad portrayal of Americans in general? If so, then your parable is really weird. "Parents, you are bad representatives for us!"

I do agree with your assessment about Rocky the Flying Squirrel. I think that he should pay more attention to mayoring and less attention to national politics. It does not behoove the elected official of a local jurisdiction to actively participate in demonstations on a national level. As much as you would like to say that you are not doing this as the mayor of SLC but as a private citizen, you still are the mayor. If federal employees cannot actively participate in campaigns, then neither should elected mayors.