Pelosi’s Pathetic, & Completely Unnecessary Lie
The View from the Middle
I should have written this immediately after the recent State of the Union speech, but I assumed at least one of the brilliant talking heads in our esteemed fourth estate would have picked up on it. Unfortunately, they did not. So, let me remind you of the tangled web that Nancy Pelosi wove.
First, to explain why she seemed to be paying no attention whatsoever to the President’s speech she claimed that she was a speed reader and was racing through the text and was totally informed as to what he was going to say long before he finished. This could also be a lie designed to give her a realistic, even noble explanation for her rude behavior intended to distract people’s attention from the speech. Who knows.
But this was followed by her shock that the President had decided to honor Rush Limbaugh with the Medal of Freedom. She couldn’t help herself, however, and decided to add another level of fabrication to the story. She said, “We all thought that he was going to give the Medal of Freedom to John Lewis” who has also recently been diagnosed with cancer. “We” does include her, right?
But wait a minute! I thought she was a speed reader and had already read the President’s speech in its entirety long before Melania Trump hung the award around Rush’s neck. If that was true, she wouldn’t have thought the award was going to John Lewis as she suggested later. She would have already known the award was going to Limbaugh. Either her speed reading or her shock that Rush received the award had to be a lie.
I only bring this up to demonstrate that these people, our members of Congress, have gotten so used to lying that they do it even when it is totally unnecessary. Obviously, when anyone in Congress accuses anyone else of being a liar, it is clearly like the proverbial "pot calling the kettle black".
There is one more little twist to this web of deception. She said that it was disgusting that Trump would make the presentation of the Medal of Freedom “in the people’s house”. He should have done it at the Whitehouse. But when she thought it was John Lewis receiving the award, she didn’t have the same reservation.
Nancy’s actions that night were pathetic, but it is the needless, gratuitous and unwarranted deception that disappoints me most. If we can’t trust them to tell the truth about something as simple as this how can we trust them with really important matters.
It does make me smile, but the whataboutism trying to pretend everyone is like DJT still doesn't hold water.
ReplyDeleteFor example, the guy he said had gotten a job from the American Opportunities program? Never worked in one of those zones. The kid he said had gotten out of a failing school because of some other program of his? Been in the same charter school for awhile and has been happy there. Just two examples from a speech where presumably even a modicum of fact checking on his part would have shown it. And it's not like he couldn't find some people who actually fit the bill. He just CHOSE to lie about it.
There are lots of political hypocrites in this world, on both sides. But no one has ever been a liar to the degree of Donald J. Trump. Though to his credit, he's exposed the moral hypocrisy of the Republican Party to a degree no Democrat could ever have done. And I actually believed Republicans when they talked about the dignity of office with regard to Bill Clinton and agreed with them. While saddened I am glad that Trump exposed them for what they were.
One more funny note - you know why DJT threatens to sue so much but rarely go through with it when it comes to people with money? Sure, he has filed thousands against small contractors he didn't want to pay who can't fight back, but I'm talking about people with the means to fight him. Because in a lawsuit at some point you have to go under oath. And every time he's gone under oath he's had to admit he's lying. There's a reason his Mueller response under oath is filled with do not recalls, and Jr. wouldn't go under oath at all.
You do make one good point - don't trust anyone. Demand to see the original source documents. Tax returns, for example.
Matt,
DeleteYou are slowly coming around. At least you agree that we can't trust any (of them). But you've caught a little Trump Derangement Syndrome. They're ALL a bunch of liars. The Clinton's were/are pathological liars. Brennen, Clapper, Schiff, Comey, McCabe (I could go on, but you get the point) are also pathological. And don't forget that Obama was the liar of the year according to the New York Times for his "you can keep your doctor/plan" lie!! I will admit that the Clinton's and Brennan, Schiff and Comey aren't like Trump. They're worse. They will all lie to your face, stab you in the back and steel your wallet without an ounce of remorse.
And Tax returns. Really? You know who has Trump's tax returns? The IRS. If he was doing something illegal who do you think is more likely to find discrepancies? The IRS or Maxine Waters? They just want his tax returns because they know there is something they can twist in the thousands of pages that his returns require. They know he has followed the law or else the IRS would have found it. I don't even give a crap about Bloomberg's tax returns for the same reason. If he wants to share them, fine. If not, I don't care. It has nothing to do with whether or not I will vote for him.
We are all liars at one point or another Kevin. That's because we're human. I'm not deranged or otherwise about Trump. I see him for what he is, and what he has always claimed to be. He's not shy about his scant relationship with the truth, and never has been. You're choosing to ignore his own words, not me.
DeleteAgain, this is a guy who called up New York media pretending to be his publicist trying to get them to run stories about his sexual prowess. Who claimed Princess Diana was buying condos from him. It's not like he got in politics and all the sudden I realized he was a serial liar. This has been his MO for literally decades. Why you want to pretend otherwise I don't know, because TRUMP doesn't pretend otherwise.
You want to point out this or that politician told a lie, sure. Go for it. I admit I've lied in my life. I expect you have too. But because you lied once, I would never say "that's a guy who lies pathologically, all the time, about everything, and expects those underneath him to back him up on his lies." Can you honestly say that's not Trump? Can you step away from whataboutism and say "Yeah, this guy lies a heck of a lot, about things you don't really even need to lie about"? Without trying to excuse it by pointing to someone else's lies?
I want to see every candidate for high public office's tax returns. I want to know who they owe, and who they receive money from. Our federal government is riddled with conflicts of interest, and I want to know who is benefiting from them. Our tax code is a mess precisely because there's a lobbyist for every line. And Trump even lied about the tax returns! Here he is in 2014: "“If I decide to run for office, I’ll produce my tax returns, absolutely,” he told “Ireland AM.” “And I would love to do that.”
Anyone who believes in limited and clean government should want to see the tax returns of those who are elected.
And no, the IRS isn't likely to find discrepancies. Especially with regard to the wealthy. You'll find this interesting:
https://www.propublica.org/article/irs-sorry-but-its-just-easier-and-cheaper-to-audit-the-poor
Take it with a grain of salt if you wish, but check out the source docs if you don't believe it.
If you truly believe they all do lie, why wouldn't you want to see all their tax returns to verify if they're telling the truth? Wouldn't you want any piece of info that would help you sort out the truth from the lie?
Delete"They will all lie to your face, stab you in the back and steel your wallet without an ounce of remorse."
DeleteWhen did Schiff or Comey or Brennan life to your face and stab you in your back? Much less steal your wallet? That sounds like partisan hyperbole.
Matt,
DeleteI NEVER said that Trump doesn't lie. My point is that the media gives a pass to any politician on the left side of the political spectrum. Brennan said that Trump was a Russian asset every day and multiple times on CNN. After the Mueller report he just said that he must have had bad intel. Schiff claimed multiple times every day that he had proof of Trump's collaboration with Russia. He hasn't even had the decency to apologize. And these, of course, are not their only lies. They lie constantly. And, when you make these claims on a so-called news show, (CNN) I count that as lying to all of our faces.
Also, if you knew how the "lie counters" tabulate their totals you would understand that Trump isn't even in the top 10 of liars in Washington. Even the lie counters are liars.
Also, they steal our wallets, our money, every day. They are the corrupt, inept government (Carley Fiorina's analogy). And they only want more of our money so that they can squander it to ingratiate themselves. They are all pathetic. And we haven't even gotten to the liar of the year or the Clintons. The Clintons, I must admit, are the worst. They don't even know what a lie is anymore because tell so many.
I'm done with this conversation. If you can't recognize that Washington DC is actually the hotbed of professional liars, then you are deluding yourself.
I will agree with you on the tax code. With all of the loopholes built in by congress for big business and the wealthy we have created a situation where Warren Buffet pays a lower rate of taxes than his secretary. He and all the billionaires like him are disingenuous however. They don't have to accept all of the loopholes. They could voluntarily pay a higher rate. But they won't. All complaint and no action. I favor a simple 5-10-15-20% rate with little to no deductions (mortgage -although I don't have one, and charitable giving for obvious reasons). I could go lower than 5 for the lowest rate, but I believe everyone should have skin in the game. I could go higher than 20 also. It does eventually have to add up to enough money to run our bloated government. Maybe we could even balance the budget.
"I NEVER said that Trump doesn't lie. My point is that the media gives a pass to any politician on the left side of the political spectrum."
DeleteNo, you engaged in whataboutism. You still haven't even said he DOES lie, nor admitted it's on an epic scale, on matters significant and insignificant. And again, what's amazing is Trump isn't shy about it. HE will admit he lies, yet his followers contort and deflect nonstop.
As to the media, if you say so. There are thousands of media outlets, and you and I know more about the lies of more politicians than ever before. And yet we weren't privy to the conversations directly, so SOMEONE is reporting it. If the media is giving these guys a pass, how come we know about it? Is "the media" not Fox, Breitbart, Rush, etc.?
"Even the lie counters are liars."
Again, you're shooting the messenger. There is no doubt DJT lies in an amount and on a scale like no other President or major political figure in our history. Do you actually dispute this?
"They are the corrupt, inept government (Carley Fiorina's analogy). And they only want more of our money so that they can squander it to ingratiate themselves. They are all pathetic. And we haven't even gotten to the liar of the year or the Clintons. The Clintons, I must admit, are the worst. They don't even know what a lie is anymore because tell so many."
Sure, if you say so. Now do Trump. Interesting you cite Carly Fiorina - a smart, accomplished woman. You know what the guy you're bending over backward to defend said about her?
"Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president."
Trump added, "I mean, she's a woman, and I'm not supposed to say bad things, but really, folks, come on. Are we serious?"
Can we even admit he's an indecent, awful person as a human?
"If you can't recognize that Washington DC is actually the hotbed of professional liars, then you are deluding yourself."
If you actually thought that, you wouldn't ever vote for an incumbent. You'd want to see tax returns of all of them. You'd be pissed at Trump's BS claims of exec privilege just like you were Obama's.
But do you really think that? Or is it just a way of excusing Trump by saying "they're all doing it" even if they're not actually all doing it?
" With all of the loopholes built in by congress for big business and the wealthy we have created a situation where Warren Buffet pays a lower rate of taxes than his secretary. He and all the billionaires like him are disingenuous however. They don't have to accept all of the loopholes. They could voluntarily pay a higher rate. But they won't. All complaint and no action. I favor a simple 5-10-15-20% rate with little to no deductions (mortgage -although I don't have one, and charitable giving for obvious reasons). I could go lower than 5 for the lowest rate, but I believe everyone should have skin in the game. I could go higher than 20 also. It does eventually have to add up to enough money to run our bloated government. Maybe we could even balance the budget."
DeleteSounds good to me, above a certain threshold income. You also appear to be, with the Buffett reference, making the argument for shifting our tax basis to more wealth than income based.
Maybe that's not your intention, but if your goal is to make the tax code more equitable, that's not a bad way to go.
“You can resolve to live your life with integrity. Let your credo be this: Let the lie come into the world, let it even triumph. But not through me.”
ReplyDelete-Alexander Solzhenitsyn
By the way - You don't have to read that fast to read faster than someone talks. And can't you read something and be shocked about what you read and have thought it was going to go a different way? Maybe you should post the video so we can get the full context. Because her saying she was shocked Rush was getting it wouldn't be a lie. We should frankly all be a little shocked the Medal of Freedom is being debased to that degree (and I'd say that if Michael Moore was getting it too). Though I grant the capacity for shock in the DJT era has been diminished by the sheer volume of undignified behavior.
I agree with you and Alexander, but you are trying too hard to defend Nancy. Here's the video. She can't have read the speech ahead of time and still thought it was for John Lewis. Give it up. She lied.
Deletehttps://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/pelosi-democrats-thought-trump-was-going-to-honor-john-lewis-not-rush-limbaugh-after-cancer-reference
Yep, she lied. And? That makes her a liar on the scale of Trump?
DeleteYou think that's her only lie? My point is that if she would lie about something as inconsequential as this she has lost touch with what a lie even is. She is pathetic.
DeleteOf course not. I've told more than one lie myself, haven't you? Does that make us pathetic.
DeleteIf one inconsequential lie is your standard for pathetic, though, then you'd have to agree Donald Trump is pathetic, wouldn't you? Using your standard, not mine. We don't have to wonder if he's lying about things often - we KNOW he is. Near-daily he lies about inconsequential and consequential things.
So let's agree neither of them deserve our vote, and pray for the return to power in the Republican party of sensible men with a modicum of decency like Mitt Romney, John McCain, GHW Bush, and Reagan (who told a few whoppers himself).
Is not lying nonstop and being a decent human too much to ask from the Republican party leadership?
Let's end this. In my opinion, which I hope you can accept as at least as valid as yours, Nancy Pelosi is a bigger liar than Trump. Most of Trump's "lies" as specified by the "lie counters" are exaggerations or inconsequential statements. How big was his inaugural crowd? Who cares? Pelosi is a scheming, serial liar. And that's not just my opinion. Here's a quote from the Washington Post:
DeleteNancy Pelosi is a liar. And not just the typical, sniveling, inside-the-Beltway-talking-head prevaricator, either. Nancy Pelosi is a wide-eyed, stare-you-in-the-face, What-planet-are-you-from? liar.
I will agree with you that no one should vote for her. Not only is she dishonest, she's incredibly divisive, incompetent and in less than a month she will be 80 years old. She should go home and stomp some grapes.
I'll vote against Trump as soon as I have a better choice. I voted for Carly Fiorina in the primaries. But what are the Dems offering? Bernie Sanders? Are you kidding? He's an absolute lunatic, and he'll be 79 by election day!
Joe Biden? He's lost all his marbles and will be 78 a couple of weeks after the election. Bloomberg? He's a moderate, but he's already 78 and all he has is money.
I'm looking for a uniter, but I don't see anyone like that on either side come November, so I have to stick with the policies that each candidate professes, and so far that's Trump for me.
I will take a new Reagan, if you can find one. I was disappointed in George W. I think he should have seen the collapse of 2008 coming, although I like him and might vote for a person like him again. I would never vote for Romney or McCain again although I voted for both in 2008 and 2012. McCain left this earth a bitter, angry man who's major voting purpose was vengeance. Sad. And while Romney may be a decent guy but I don't think he has the strength to lead this country.
Those are my opinions. Now, I'm moving on. We need to talk about the 2020 race or the Corona virus. Check my next article to see what direction I went.
Kevin, I appreciate that you're a firm adherent to the Republican party, hell or high water. I was once there myself. But three things from your statement:
Delete"How big was his inaugural crowd? Who cares? "
Trump cares. That's why he talks about it, and lies about it, incessantly. TRUMP cares.
"Joe Biden? He's lost all his marbles and will be 78 a couple of weeks after the election. "
Really? You think Joe Biden has lost all his marbles and Donald Trump hasn't? Donald Trump is 73 and says more crazy things in a week than Joe Biden says in a decade. Google "windmill cancer" or "Mexican judge" or "Rubio hand size" just for three quick ones.
"McCain left this earth a bitter, angry man who's major voting purpose was vengeance. Sad. And while Romney may be a decent guy but I don't think he has the strength to lead this country."
John McCain was a bitter, angry man but you think Trump isn't? John McCain was a hero, and more honorable and decent than Donald Trump ever thought about being. Mitt Romney doesn't have the "strength" to lead this country? And Donald Trump doesn't?
What characteristics of "strength" or "bitterness" are we judging people now in the Republican Party? Military service apparently doesn't matter, fidelity apparently doesn't matter, honesty doesn't matter. What is "strength" these days to the garden variety Republican? Volume of tweets?
It's sad.
I am full agreement about the level that our political representatives (on all levels and on both sides) will go to in order to "stretch the truth"...it isn't honorable, and far too many of them engage in this type of behavior.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I need to mention some of the other Medal of Freedom recipients: Robert DeNiro, Robert Redford and Meryl Streep, just to name a few. Just wanted to point this out...
You're right - it's a pretty light award. I retract.
DeleteThis reads like a CNN or MSNBC Opinion piece...especially Matt's comments. The World doesn't need anyone else reciting Dem Talking Points ad nosium. On to more productive endeavors.
ReplyDeleteI'm old enough to remember when espousing principles of limited government, transparent government, and dignity in office were Repub Talking Points. Wish the party still thought those were productive endeavors.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeletePS - Here's why if you're still a Republican even with what it stands for now, or hope the Republican party will return to its traditional principles, you should be worried:
ReplyDeletehttps://ballotpedia.org/State_legislative_elections,_2018
And another Republican just announced he's retiring from the House of Reps. ETTD isn't just a catchy acronym.
Now, Democrats remain as incompetent as ever, so there's always hope as long as they're the opponent, but that's a worrying trend.