Today is the first anniversary of the Affordable Care Act being signed into law. And the liars are coming out of the woodwork to re-run old lies and make up new ones. And it’s not just about the ACA. Hell, these folks will lie about anything. And some lie so often that they are having a hard time keeping their story straight from one day to the next.
I guess there is something about President Obama (his race, his competence, his coolness under attack, his intelligence, his skin color) that brings out the worst behavior among so many folks supporting the modern Republican Confederate Party and our Galtian Overlords. Mention that Obama supports this or that and these folks will start lying to attack whatever Obama is for (even if they were for it five minutes ago). Their lying is so commonplace these days that they’ll make shit up about any issue supported by Democrats, workers, the middle class or the poor at the drop of a hat, but it is when you mention Obama that they are just compelled to push their fibs into the crazy zone. It is as if they are moths and he is the flame.
Earlier today, Steve Benen accurately described the trend:
THEY JUST DON’T CARE…. Perhaps the most exasperating aspect of health care debate was the incessant lying. [snip]
The Affordable Care Act had its flaws, but GOP officials simply weren’t prepared for a credible discussion of the policy. So they lied uncontrollably. They’d tell a falsehood, be shown proof that it wasn’t true, and then repeat the falsehood anyway. It was as depressing a display as anything I’ve ever seen in the American political discourse, and it’s directly responsible for the widespread public confusion about the reform law that still exists.
A year later, Republicans are still trying to kill the policy — and they’re still lying. We’re not talking about exaggerations; we’re talking about demonstrable errors of fact.
It really does not matter anymore what the issue is or who the spokesperson might be. From the budget to unions to world events to brackets for March Madness, it doesn’t matter what the latest word string is–time and time again it has become quite safe to assume that anything these weasels say is a lie. Yes, it is a lie boldly told, but it is still a lie nonetheless.
So perhaps the 23rd of March should serve a double duty. It will always be the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and that is worthy of celebration. As one fellow accurately said, “It is a big fucking deal”. But March 23 should also be a day to remember the endless lies and the liars who keep telling them. It should be a day to call out fools in the press and elsewhere who credulously buy these lies hook, line and sinker. While these liars should be called out and shamed for the lies they tell, that by itself would matter little as these liars are beyond shame, but perhaps–if a big enough stink about the lies is raised–there might be some of the gullible folks in and out of the media who might learn not give these liars their unconditional trust.
Sure, it is a “pie in the sky” idea, but a lad can dream.
Cheers
ps: The art is by Athens, GA artist Chub (aka Chris Hubbard). I’ve had this piece for years and I’m quite fond of it. If you like this sort of thing, a catalog of his work can be found here.