distortions continues to warp our effort as Americans to discuss real
issues in real terms.
Take the idea that Obama is trying to make America into a socialist
county. Or the idea that Obama's anti-terrorism policies have
made us less safe.
Those ideas are more complex than the "birther" lie or the "deather"
lie, and for that reason, exposing how lacking in any sound basis they
are takes a bit more work. But any thoughtful examination of them
would show them to be of the same disreputable ilk: lies and
distortions using well-worn propaganda pathways to instill fear in the
American people.
Any politician or political commentator who's tried to persuade you of either of these ideas is unworthy of your trust.
There are plenty of legitimate questions and criticisms to be raised
regarding Obama's policies, but it's mostly lies and distortions that
are being put center stage by his political opponents. From the
stimulus package to the question of health insurance reform, our public
discussion has been crippled by political forces that are willing to
just make things up --always things to evoke fear and outrage-- and try
use their lies to set the terms of the "debate."
So the health reform debate becomes focused on fictitous "death panels."
As a result, some 54 percent of the people of the South believe that
Obama's health care plan would, or maybe would, create death panels
with the authority to pull the plug on elderly Americans based on their
level of productivity in society.
And as a result of deliberate disinformation campaigns, some 69 percent
of the people of the South believe that Obama's health care plan would,
or maybe would, "require elderly patients to meet with government
officials to discuss 'end of life' options including euthanasia."
Some 72 percent of the people of the South believe it is true, or might
be true, that Obama's health care proposals involve "a government take
over of the entire health care system."
All of those are simply, and demonstrably, false. Go ahead,
investigate these things. Satisfy yourself that they are, indeed,
lies. And then ponder who all it is who've betrayed your trust.
By all means, let us have a real conversation --as if we might actually
learn from one another-- about the real issues. What is the
proper role of government in health care? What can we learn from
the experience of other countries? What would be the consequences
of not changing our present system?
Important questions. But to discuss them, we need to have two
sides interested in genuine discussion. That will only happen, it
seems, when the part of the American body politic that's put their
trust in liars withdraw that trust and insist on honest political
debate.
And until that happens, for me here on this program, the effort to
expose this political culture of lies will take precedence over that
desirable goal of talking "with one another as if we might actually
learn from each other."
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