How would we know if our government is lying to us?

[SuperDemocrat]

This ain't a question directed at any particular president but if our government was lying to us would we know? I kind of think of how people in other countries seem to believe things that are complete lies. We know these are compete lies because we are looking at them from the outside and we can see that what they are being told is not true. I can only think of one example and that is North korea but if we were being lied to by our government right now would we know about it? Would we be the same as the people inside these countries and just believe them? Once a person is completely exposed to one version of the truth they have no choice but to believe it because they haven't seen anything else. I often wonder how suspeseptable we are to the same thing considering so many media outlets are politically aligned with one party or another. Clearly they can't be trusted but we really have no choice because it is the only thing we hear. We have to accept it because that is all we are exposed to.

 

[Wyatt earp]

Kenneth Star: liberals didn't care

Gruber : liberals didn't care

Harry Reid : liberals didn't care

 

[SuperDemocrat]

Kenneth Star: liberals didn't care

Gruber : liberals didn't care

Harry Reid : liberals didn't care

It was more of a general question about human nature over how vulnerable we are at being deceived by our governments.

 

[there4eyeM]

It doesn't matter when we know, as we have in the past. What matters is that a significant number either don't care or actively support the deception, as with Iraq.

 

[S.J.]

There was a time when our government held our politicians accountable, regardless of their political affiliation. Now the media is full of marxists who only give us what the Democratic Party wants us to know (or believe).

 

[JWBooth]

Simple test:
If their lips are moving, they lie,
If they breathe, they are involved in deceit.
If their minions point fingers at the other faction, it is only to deflect attention.

 

[S.J.]

Simple test:
If their lips are moving, they lie,
If they breathe, they are involved in deceit.

Can't argue with that.

 

[Politico]

There was a time when our government held our politicians accountable, regardless of their political affiliation. Now the media is full of marxists who only give us what the Democratic Party wants us to know (or believe).

The Gubbermint has never held anyone accountable.

 

[Sonny Clark]

This ain't a question directed at any particular president but if our government was lying to us would we know? I kind of think of how people in other countries seem to believe things that are complete lies. We know these are compete lies because we are looking at them from the outside and we can see that what they are being told is not true. I can only think of one example and that is North korea but if we were being lied to by our government right now would we know about it? Would we be the same as the people inside these countries and just believe them? Once a person is completely exposed to one version of the truth they have no choice but to believe it because they haven't seen anything else. I often wonder how suspeseptable we are to the same thing considering so many media outlets are politically aligned with one party or another. Clearly they can't be trusted but we really have no choice because it is the only thing we hear. We have to accept it because that is all we are exposed to.

It's very easy to see that the government lies to us. Just research our economy, wars, our right to privacy, taxation, elections, spending, bailouts, subsidies, our environment, our judicial system, law enforcement, foreign aid, campaign financing, and the conditions on Main Street America.

What about the ACA ( Obamacare )? Is that not a lie? Are our borders secure? Over-throwing foreign governments? Spying on U.S. citizens? Economic stability and growth? Foreign trade agreements? Transparency of our government? The failed war on illegal drugs? Illegal immigration?

What has our government been completely honest about? Remember, honesty and politics mix like water and oil.

 

[candycorn]

This ain't a question directed at any particular president but if our government was lying to us would we know? I kind of think of how people in other countries seem to believe things that are complete lies. We know these are compete lies because we are looking at them from the outside and we can see that what they are being told is not true. I can only think of one example and that is North korea but if we were being lied to by our government right now would we know about it? Would we be the same as the people inside these countries and just believe them? Once a person is completely exposed to one version of the truth they have no choice but to believe it because they haven't seen anything else. I often wonder how suspeseptable we are to the same thing considering so many media outlets are politically aligned with one party or another. Clearly they can't be trusted but we really have no choice because it is the only thing we hear. We have to accept it because that is all we are exposed to.

A good question. Surprisingly.

Your post has some assumptions in it that I would like to weigh in on if I may. First, when you write:

I often wonder how suspeseptable we are to the same thing considering so many media outlets are politically aligned with one party or another.

Most adults know that Fox and The Blaze are worthless as "news" organizations as is MSNBC. The reporters who work there should be ashamed of themselves.

However, when you cast these obvious "news" networks out of the picture, you're left with the big 3 networks and CNN on the television side, AP and Reuters in print along with some major newspapers, and NPR and some offshoots of networks on the radio. If you get your information from one source, you're pretty much beholden to that source granted but given that each of these outlets in media are all multi platform (i.e. you can read NPR on your tablet, you can hear telecasts on your IPOD/IPHONE, NYT, Washington Post, LA Times, DMN etc... news paper reporters are often guests on TV) few Americans do.

I think you're wrong when you say the immediately above are "aligned" with a political party. What they have become the victim of is being afraid of not having access so they tend to be favorable or not as lethal as a result because if the President sees you as being unfair in your reporting...you may find yourself not called on at press conferences or your competing network gets the sit-down interview; not you.

You continue on:

QUOTE="SuperDemocrat, post: 11555322, member: 53821"]
I can only think of one example and that is North korea but if we were being lied to by our government right now would we know about it? Would we be the same as the people inside these countries and just believe them?
[/quote]
This is the heart of your post. And they are good questions. I tend to think and this is only my opinion, that the media is not serving the public as well as it did in the past. In most cases its because of costs. Today's newspapers are closer to People Magazine than the New England Journal of Medicine. And the reason for that is pure profit. If the market were for hard news, the suppliers would focus on hard news. We get the government we deserve and by the public taking away the lone actual watchdog in favor of frivilous ephemera, the government is unencumbered to do what it wants.

Don't let the voter registration barriers/voter ID supporters fool you. While many think that they are there to keep minorities from voting, they are also there to retard the input of the only seriously militant block of voters and that is the elderly who are often the first to feel the bite of changes in governmental policies. The youth; the others who feel the bite, have no voice; the poor who also suffer when policies change, don't vote for some reason so aggressive bureaucrats feel more empowered.

How will we know when they are lying? I look for quotes. Everything else is just spin. When the quote is brought forward, you are out of the spin zone and are dealing with what the principal actually said. Secondly, compare stories and see how "far" one goes. Details are always the most important part of any story. I'll sum up now. Lastly, the tenacity of the reader/viewer/listener/browser must be engaged. Stick with the story to see how it plays out.

 

[Wyatt earp]

Kenneth Star: liberals didn't care

Gruber : liberals didn't care

Harry Reid : liberals didn't care

It was more of a general question about human nature over how vulnerable we are at being deceived by our governments.

We were always deceived by the government, by both party's and the main stream press, for example they all knew JFK was having an affair, but the big 3 kept it under wraps. it all changed in 1987 with the repeal of the fairness doctrine, which the left still complains about today, but the left got even with the popularity of the internet. But I think we all lost with the decline of newspapers and magazines, With them it kind of forced you to read every article and not cherry pick like people do with the internet.

 

[whats up]

It's all a lie, everything. Once you realize this, things will become much clearer..

 

[S.J.]

There was a time when our government held our politicians accountable, regardless of their political affiliation. Now the media is full of marxists who only give us what the Democratic Party wants us to know (or believe).

The Gubbermint has never held anyone accountable.

You're right. I meant to say our "media" held them accountable, not our "government".

 

[RandallFlagg]

This ain't a question directed at any particular president but if our government was lying to us would we know? I kind of think of how people in other countries seem to believe things that are complete lies. We know these are compete lies because we are looking at them from the outside and we can see that what they are being told is not true. I can only think of one example and that is North korea but if we were being lied to by our government right now would we know about it? Would we be the same as the people inside these countries and just believe them? Once a person is completely exposed to one version of the truth they have no choice but to believe it because they haven't seen anything else. I often wonder how suspeseptable we are to the same thing considering so many media outlets are politically aligned with one party or another. Clearly they can't be trusted but we really have no choice because it is the only thing we hear. We have to accept it because that is all we are exposed to.

Has someone from the government opened their mouth lately? There is your answer.

 

[Claudette]

This ain't a question directed at any particular president but if our government was lying to us would we know? I kind of think of how people in other countries seem to believe things that are complete lies. We know these are compete lies because we are looking at them from the outside and we can see that what they are being told is not true. I can only think of one example and that is North korea but if we were being lied to by our government right now would we know about it? Would we be the same as the people inside these countries and just believe them? Once a person is completely exposed to one version of the truth they have no choice but to believe it because they haven't seen anything else. I often wonder how suspeseptable we are to the same thing considering so many media outlets are politically aligned with one party or another. Clearly they can't be trusted but we really have no choice because it is the only thing we hear. We have to accept it because that is all we are exposed to.

Has someone from the government opened their mouth lately? There is your answer.

Yup. Anyone who believes anything our govt says is three cards short of a full deck.

 

[g5000]

This ain't a question directed at any particular president but if our government was lying to us would we know? I kind of think of how people in other countries seem to believe things that are complete lies. We know these are compete lies because we are looking at them from the outside and we can see that what they are being told is not true. I can only think of one example and that is North korea but if we were being lied to by our government right now would we know about it? Would we be the same as the people inside these countries and just believe them? Once a person is completely exposed to one version of the truth they have no choice but to believe it because they haven't seen anything else. I often wonder how suspeseptable we are to the same thing considering so many media outlets are politically aligned with one party or another. Clearly they can't be trusted but we really have no choice because it is the only thing we hear. We have to accept it because that is all we are exposed to.

It isn't only our government lying to us. I am constantly amazed at the credulousness of the rubes on this forum who drink whatever piss is poured for them by their favorite partisan media outlets. Some things put out by these hack journalists is blatantly bogus and yet guzzled with gusto by their parroting followers. People that willfully stupid deserve to be lied to.

The best defenses against lies are critical thinking skills. Learning to recognize logical fallacies, and learning how to ask the right kind of questions, and then requiring evidence to support claims.

Stop bleeving bullshit just because it is coming out of the mouth of someone who has the right letter after their name. It is more important to keep your own house clean than it is your opponent's.

 

[candycorn]

Or do your own research if you are interested. You may be surprised by what you find out if you actually go by the quotes and actions of those you research. For example, would you be surprised to hear Ted Cruz say this?

We are going to hold down government spending, reduce the budget deficit, and eliminate government waste.
We will slash Federal hiring and cut the Federal work force.
We will eliminate needless regulations.
We will bring more competition back to our economy.

Probably not. But many would be surprised to hear these words from Jimmy Carter--the man who actually said it 10/24/78.

One other note...I know this is the Internet and you have the privilege of anonymity but despite that, can you at least try to not sound like a moron?