The Truth

At a time when she lacked the trust of most Americans, when indictment was being considered against her, President Obama said of the former Secretary of State

There has never been any man or woman more qualified for this office than Hillary Clinton, and that's the truth. That's the truth.

He said it at a rally in North Carolina.

George Washington always told the truth – we're informed that “he couldn't tell a lie” – and he was an above-average president. According to the incumbent, however, he was less qualified than the current Democratic candidate. While it may be true that she is more capable than the one praising her, it's hard not to wonder if Lincoln, Adams, Jefferson, or a host of others might not have had a better résumé or greater reliability than the former Secretary.

It's easy to chalk it up to campaign rhetoric. You'd have to. After all, in 2008, the candidate Senator Obama, maintained that she, (then his colleague in the Senate) Hillary Clinton, was “willing to say anything [in case you didn't get what he meant, that's a euphemism for “to lie”] to get elected.” He had other reservations about her qualifications then. Now – perhaps feeling a debt incurred by her service to him – he seems willing to say anything to get her elected. (Neither her, nor his, lying seems to be a disqualifying feature.) That's what makes America great. Loyalty. To party members if not the Constitution, the citizens, and the country.

It's an effort to inspire confidence in her at a time when she lacks the trust of a majority of our citizens. Perhaps it's her own fault, perhaps it's his. Perhaps it's the fault of the American people at this point in history, but there's no denying that she has neither their friendship nor what they consider the qualifications to lead us all.

Nor does her opponent.

Sadly, it's a given that we cannot believe what politicians say. In theory their calling, their burden, is to perform service for their country – to improve the lot of their people – even if there is a cost to themselves. Just as our “citizen soldiers” have fought to protect us, our “citizen politicians” claim to be willing to sacrifice for us, and it's something we need them to do. The reality, however, doesn't match that theory. The driving forces are, more often, ego, lust for power, and money. These are the rewards of office. And too many of our leaders are in it for the rewards rather than the burdens.

And we are willing, though unindicted, co-conspirators. We accept their words, if not as the truth, as unexceptionable rhetoric. We expect it. (All politicians are liars.) True, some of the media do some “fact-checking,” but who cares? We continue to elect those we know to be falsifying, “spinning,” or inventing “facts.” They're flexible and so are we.

The time has come, however, to fight back. It will probably be a losing fight – certainly initially it will be – but it's a necessary one if we are to restore “a government of the people.” The time has come when people should vote their consciences – not according to party line. It may be easier to have only two parties from which to choose, but it forces us to accept “the lesser of evils” too often – to brook evil. This is a democracy, and we are free to choose.

But we're not the only democracy. There are countries in which parties are formed based on beliefs that may differ from the mainstream; where a difference of opinion, or an antipathy to those running, may inspire the formation of a new political entity, more suitable to public wishes. There's no guarantee that its leaders won't lie, but when it's discovered that they can't be trusted there's precedent for dumping them and starting again. It's messy, but democracy is messy. (Mussolini may have gotten the trains to run on time [actually, he didn't] but it was at great cost.)

In the United States the step to take is to vote for a third party (as I intend to do). There aren't many around, and they're not likely to win, but votes that don't go to major party candidates are a message – one that we hope ultimately will be heard if sent often enough.

As Pogo (the voice of Walt Kelly) said

We have met the enemy and he is us.

And those we're willing to elect.