Too many of our troubles seem to have a common factor. Elected officials and business leaders are not being totally truthful to us citizens, consumers and employees. It is hard enough to solve our problems when armed with facts, but nigh impossible when they are distorted or withheld.
I recall back in the 1990s a panel of tobacco industry CEOs testifying to a Congressional Committee under oath. In succession, each CEO lied that nicotine was not addictive. That was before a whistle-blower provided evidence that they knew nicotine was addictive for about thirty years. The industry was made to pay a massive fine for their subterfuge.
For years, the US military refused to effectively evaluate the link between the brownish and awful smelling water at Camp Lejeune and numerous cancers and illnesses of Marines and their families. Too many were needlessly harmed until they were made by two North Carolina Senators to investigate. Now monetary and health support are available.
The 2005 Energy Act was written by a former fracking CEO who was Vice President at the time, Dick Cheney. He slipped in two key protections for the industry. Fracking would not be subject to the Safe Drinking Water Act or the Clean Air Act. Fracking takes a huge amount of water that cannot be reused as the water is laced with chemicals to make fracking easier. Further, natural gas caps leak methane and sometimes natural gas is vented on purpose. Americans are owed the truth about the negatives of fracking.
In early 2018, a Tax law was passed sold as a tax cut for all, but the primary beneficiaries were corporations and the wealthy. It was also sold that it would pay for itself with increased revenue. These assertions are never true and the estimated increase on the debt of $1.6 trillion was waved off. That estimate came from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. First the legislators believe their own lies, then sell them to us. The Tax law gave our pretty good economy a sugar rush for a several months before waning back to previous levels. It never came close to paying for itself as the debt climbed even more.
Finally, the 2020 election was sold by the former president as fraudulent. Yet, the head of election security Chris Krebs said it was the most secure election in our history leaving auditable trails. That was before he was fired by the former president. The latter had more than ample opportunity to prove his claims failing miserably losing every recount, review and audit and all but one court case out of about 65. Yet, he continues to perpepuate his bogus election fraud claims along with too many sycophantic members of Congress and notable state legislature and governor houses. Sadly, seeds of doubt are sown in the process with purpose, yet it is much more believable that a proven liar has lied to people and been supported by others.
Sowing seeds of doubt. Right now, we should dig deeper using multiple sources. We should ignore facts offered by all politicians especially those known for lying like the former president. He has further tainted the veracity of everyone.
musingsofanoldfart 