"You can't just make stuff up... The American people aren't stupid," Obama said.

Decius wrote:

Sigh, maybe he isn't qualified to be President after all...

What he means is that Americans want leaders who think their lies through, present them in believable ways, confidently and firmly deny evidence to the contrary, and stay one step ahead of the questioners. It's not about Truth so much as the illusion of truth.

Recall, from June:

The closer we get to election day:
1. The harder it will be to know whether or not the candidates are lying.
2. The more authoritarian the candidates will act.

Also:

I've come to the conclusion that you actually want shifty, dishonest politicians elected by an apathetic populace. This means that things are working.

So, isn't this what you wanted? Make up your mind already!

I've come to the conclusion that you actually want shifty, dishonest politicians elected by an apathetic populace. This means that things are working.

If McCain's VP pick were just as boring as Obama's I might not care at all about this election, but Palin is an existential threat that demands an awakening from apathy. I don't know whats more fearsome, the fact that she was selected, or the fact that the American people have bought it and she has given McCain a huge boost in the polls. I feel like I'm living in an insane asylum. Whether its the open attacks on ancient principals such as Habeas Corpus or the fact that we are in the midst of a nearly unprecedented economic cataclysm one cannot escape the conclusion that the people in charge have absolutely no idea what the fuck they are doing and that the people who do know what ought to be done have been totally marginalized by our corruption. Palin personifies all of this. She is the slick corporate VP who is all image and no substance, and they love that about her because they have convinced themselves that if they do away with substance it will free them from the problems that substantial people attempt to address. This is the road to despotism. This is the fevered dream of theocracy. This is America.

Decius wrote:

I've come to the conclusion that you actually want shifty, dishonest politicians elected by an apathetic populace. This means that things are working.

If McCain's VP pick were just as boring as Obama's I might not care at all about this election, but Palin is an existential threat that demands an awakening from apathy. I don't know whats more fearsome, the fact that she was selected, or the fact that the American people have bought it and she has given McCain a huge boost in the polls. I feel like I'm living in an insane asylum. Whether its the open attacks on ancient principals such as Habeas Corpus or the fact that we are in the midst of a nearly unprecedented economic cataclysm one cannot escape the conclusion that the people in charge have absolutely no idea what the fuck they are doing and that the people who do know what ought to be done have been totally marginalized by our corruption. Palin personifies all of this. She is the slick corporate VP who is all image and no substance, and they love that about her because they have convinced themselves that if they do away with substance it will free them from the problems that substantial people attempt to address. This is the road to despotism. This is the fevered dream of theocracy. This is America.

I was really happy with McCain being the Republican candidate until he picked her. Now I feel like America is going to shit.

Decius wrote:

I've come to the conclusion that you actually want shifty, dishonest politicians elected by an apathetic populace. This means that things are working.

If McCain's VP pick were just as boring as Obama's I might not care at all about this election, but Palin is an existential threat that demands an awakening from apathy. I don't know whats more fearsome, the fact that she was selected, or the fact that the American people have bought it and she has given McCain a huge boost in the polls. I feel like I'm living in an insane asylum. Whether its the open attacks on ancient principals such as Habeas Corpus or the fact that we are in the midst of a nearly unprecedented economic cataclysm one cannot escape the conclusion that the people in charge have absolutely no idea what the fuck they are doing and that the people who do know what ought to be done have been totally marginalized by our corruption. Palin personifies all of this. She is the slick corporate VP who is all image and no substance, and they love that about her because they have convinced themselves that if they do away with substance it will free them from the problems that substantial people attempt to address. This is the road to despotism. This is the fevered dream of theocracy. This is America.

The ideal is the lie. This is the way it has always worked, and as information gets more and more liquid and free, it will be easier and easier to see it. Your hang up seems to be that Palin was selected, but the whole damn pageant is bullshit. No one is going to 'fix' anything, because the system is built on the illusion that someone is going to fix it. We all want to believe, but that's just the point. Spending our time 'believing' keeps us from questioning.

noteworthy wrote:

It's not about Truth so much as the illusion of truth.

And that's the truth! =P

noteworthy wrote:
It's not about Truth so much as the illusion of truth.

flynn23 wrote:
And that's the truth! =P

It's about truthiness.

Decius wrote:
I feel like I'm living in an insane asylum.

"When you're born in the world you're given a ticket to the freakshow; when you're born in America you're given a front-row seat. And some of us in the front row have notebooks and pencils." -George Carlin