The American Lie

George Washington is fabled to have said, I cannot tell a lie. But lie he did, and politicians have been lying ever since. Despite assurances to the contrary, politics is not about truth, justice, and principle. It is about money, power, and status. As astute political commentator Ben Ginsberg convincingly shows, politicians pretend to fight for principles in order to conceal their true selfish motives. Thus, in this new political season, Ginsberg encourages citizens to think outside the ballot box, finding new ways to act on behalf of their interests and the public good. But if they do vote, their motto should be when in doubt vote them out. The elections of 2008 are a good time to begin.