Fight for Democracy, Part 26: The GOP is Lying

It’s become a truism that all politicians lie. But it’s just as true that all people lie. We say our co-worker's new haircut looks great (it doesn’t). We don’t admit we stole a peanut butter cup out of the Halloween candy (we did). We brag (exaggerate) how much money we saved on our new car. Lying is a part of the social fabric and its both expected and understood - we tell small lies to make ourselves and others feel better in ways that don’t really hurt anyone.

But in real life we all know the difference between such lies and someone who is a liar. It’s fine that our cousin claims the trout he caught back when we were kids weighed five pounds (it was only two), but it’s wrong when he borrows money on the claim it’s for his kids birthday present when it really goes to his opioid addiction. We have no problem with Susie saying she’ll meet us at the bar at eight - we know she’s always late. We get justly pissed when Steve stands us up after promising to give a ride to the airport. Lies matter to the extent of their consequences and how frequent and large they are.

In that regard, the Republicans are LYING. It starts with the President, who lies so often about things large and small he can’t even keep track of his own lies. But it extends to the rest of the Party, who have to lie to support him, or at the very least deny his lies. And because their policy positions are truly out of step with the voters, they have to keep lying about what they have done and what they want to do.

The biggest lie right now is that Republicans support protections for pre-existing conditions (https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/fact-check-trump-claims-gop-protecting-people-pre-existing-conditions-n923056). They voted 65 times to repeal the ACA, including to remove such protections. Many of the Republican states have signed on to a lawsuit arguing such protections are illegal. But because they know such protections are popular, they are straight up lying about their support. And people fall for it. (here’s a great podcast if you want to hear more about their health care lies: https://www.vox.com/the-weeds)

Republicans are lying about the deficit (https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/deficit-under-trump-738621/). Never mind the many years they decried any Democratic attempt to increase spending and social programs by claiming to be fiscally conservative, Republicans real lie is that we need to cut programs like Social Security and Medicare in order to restore a balanced budget. Aside from the fact that our deficit is almost entirely due to their increased spending on the military and their cutting taxes on the wealthy, Social Security and Medicare are paid through payroll taxes and cutting them would not balance the budget (except for the government’s penchant to borrow from those funds and lump them into the general account). Republicans created a deficit and want to use it as an excuse to cut your benefits. That’s the truth.

They lie about taxes. First, the President’s ridiculous claim that Republicans will pass a 10% tax cut for the middle class before the election is actually impossible since Congress is not in session. But I think most people know he’s lying on that one. More importantly, they lied to get their tax bill passed (https://newrepublic.com/minutes/151965/trumps-haphazard-campaigning-causing-trouble-republicans-midterms) and now that the truth has been revealed - the benefits are going to the rich, companies are buying back stock instead of investing or raising wages, our deficit is exploding - they are quietly lying by omission in their campaigns. The tax bill was their biggest accomplishment - they all celebrated with beers at the White House - but now you won’t find a single Republican campaigning on it.

The Republican party is built on lies. Illegal immigration is not a threat - it’s at an historical low and immigrants are less likely to commit crimes. That caravan is not an invasion - it’s a few thousand poor families a long way from our border, walking towards us to legally ask for asylum. White people as a group are not oppressed (https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianthompson1/2018/02/18/the-racial-wealth-gap-addressing-americas-most-pressing-epidemic/#643059ec7a48), even if some do have it hard. Welfare fraud isn’t a huge problem (http://time.com/4711668/history-food-stamp-fraud/). Muslim terrorists do pose a threat - a small one - but right-wing terrorists pose a larger one (https://qz.com/1435885/data-shows-more-us-terror-attacks-by-right-wing-and-religious-extremists/). Republicans even lie about supporting the Constitution! (https://www.npr.org/2018/10/30/662335612/legal-scholars-say-14th-amendment-doubt-trump-can-end-birthright-citizenship-wit)

All politicians distort the truth. They parse their language and cherry-pick numbers to present themselves and their ideas in the best light. They reverse the process to discredit their opponents. But the President has ushered in a new age where outright lying is not just commonplace but is a strategic approach to politics. Judging from the comments his supporters make, and the backing he receives from the Republican Congress, the lies are working and are here to stay. The only way to fight them is to keep yourself informed and to vote for the truth (or at least something closer to the truth).