I sent this letter via email today to Ruth Marcus's column today about lying politicians, in particular McCain's "True Whoppers"
Good day Ruth...
I enjoyed your article ''True Whoppers'' today in the Washington Post.
Since I live way down here in Florida and don't see the Post except when I am in DC, I wonder if this is also appearing in print on the front page where it belongs?
The fact that a major political candidate is publishing out-right lies to the American people should be news, not just an editorial hiding inside away from people less inclined to look past the headlines.
It is the job of the media to report. While your article is great, it is published in a section of ''opinion'' and the facts support that your article is nothing of the kind...it is FACT and it should be NEWS.
McCain's, and any lying politician's words, are more than an assault on their respective opponents. Those lies are an affront to me and to all American's intelligence. By lying to me to try to persuade me to vote for them is a direct insult. McCain, as far as I am concerned, can tarnish his own reputation in any way he desires as long as in the process of doing so, he is not assaulting me or my intelligence.
If I were to sell a little sugar pill and claim it cures cancer I would be in big trouble because someone could be hurt by thinking so. Truth in Advertising. I would not be protected by the first amendment because of the potential harm factor...like yelling fire in a crowded theater.
Sadly a politician's lies are protected by the same constitution. That is really a shame because there is a harm there as well...a grave harm if, as a result of those lies, we wind up with yet another liar in the White house. One who would lie again to start yet another war, killing thousands of Americans and a million more nationals in what ever nation we invaded. Is that not harm?
The media must publish political ads un-censored. I understand that. However the same media is not obligated to remain quiet about lies in those very ads. It MUST report those lies as openly and obviously as possible..on the FRONT PAGE !