How the GOP became indifferent to lies - The Washington Post - 0 views
www.washingtonpost.com/...ters-trust-he-is-on-their-side
truth lies politics gop conservatism honesty
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The irony is not lost on some of us that the loudest right-wing voices are the worst examples of post-modernist thinking: Facts are fungible; it’s all what you want to believe.
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It is however disturbing that many certainly know he is lying — or out of touch with reality — and still support him.
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Part of this is attributable to the false moral equivalence game. Sure, Clinton is no model truth teller, but — come on! — she’s a Little Leaguer up against the 1927 Yankees (Trump) when it comes to lying. Clinton lies mainly when she gets caught; Trump lies about himself, the world, his own statements, other people’s statements, his positions, his change in positions, etc.
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Even more disturbing is the moral nihilism: Everyone lies, the argument goes, but at least we have our liar. That’s a recipe for moral chaos but also hopelessly naive. How do Trumpkins know he is on their side — because he told them?!
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Amid all Trump’s lies do his fans imagine that the man who is loyal to no one will honor campaign promises? Self-delusion is a powerful force and the necessary ingredient for every successful scam.
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Much of the blame for a lying-tolerant GOP rests with the people who should know better — the gatekeepers, or former gatekeepers, who used to feel obligated to stay in the vicinity of the truth.
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When Paul Ryan cannot bring himself to uphold a minimal standard of honesty, one has to wonder what his credibility will look like after the election.
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Ryan and other might want to consider that if you campaign on a pack of lies, the democratic process is destroyed, any “mandate” is phony and the essential trust needed for government to function is eviscerated.
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As for the demise of the Republican Party, that was only possible once its members, elected officials and commentators decided there was no obligation to speak the truth — or even try.