Sunday, September 25, 2011

REMINDER TO LEADERS AND POLITICIANS: Integrity and Honesty Matter

OK, I know I'm pretty idealistic but in my view Integrity and Honesty matter. While these characteristics are noble in every person, they are hugely important in our nation's Leaders and would-be Leaders.

How disheartening it is that so many people in high office have decided it is OK to tell tales, spin yarns, and tell out-and-out lies to the very same people they promised to represent - you and me. Some consider it perfectly acceptable to fiddle with numbers until the "data" chokes out the story they like, or to selectively quote snippets of a study instead of presenting the big picture. And, like sharks with chum, they tear into any opponent as needed to make themselves look good.  In today's political climate, such Leaders would find fault with Jesus if it promoted their own objectives.

Of course these people didn't wake up one morning with a sucking vacuum where integrity once lived. No, their ethics and honesty were traded as they worked their way up the ladder. Too many political candidates have no problem ditching honesty in favor of votes: they are as comfortable telling a lie as they are shaking a hand.

Now I know that Leaders and politicians have been spinning tales and cutting deals since the dawn of time, even here in our Fair Land. And I'm even willing to accept that this is part and parcel of getting things done. But something has darkened in America over the past 15 or 20 years: thresholds have reached new lows and lies are soaring to new highs. The willingness to malign opponents is astounding, and the vindictiveness of delivery is appalling. Is our Leadership dissolving into a pack of snarling dogs?

The lack of integrity and honesty is wrong in principle and wrong in fact, and it diminishes the gravitas of our nation's higher offices. But even worse, this ignominious behavior casts a fog over issues, and deflects energies and interests away from resolving our nation's important issues. It is dangerous.

Obviously I am pretty wound up about this issue. And so I decided to examine the truth-telling record of some of our Leaders and the GOP candidates for President. I went to PolitiFact's web site on 19 Sept 2011 and pulled down information (see Sources below) and then compiled this information into two charts: one for our current Leadership and one for the GOP candidates who want to be our next President.

Of course this is not "hard" data because it boils down to which claims and statements PolitiFact analyzed -  they are not tracking every word being said by these people (although that would be great). Also, it makes sense that the more statements examined, the more reliable the analysis and so it's worth noting that for some of these folks only a few statements are examined. Nonetheless, the information is indicative and therefore useful.

Here are the results - click on the images so you can read the charts. Are you Surprised? Angry? Disappointed?

 Current Leadership
Click on image for larger view
  
GOP Candidates for President
Click on image for larger view

SOURCE LINKS
On each person's page is a chart in the upper right - you can click on the True, Mostly True, etc. links within that chart to see details and explanations of rating.  Remember, PolitiFact adds to this information and so the numbers will change over time.
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